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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 




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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.' 




Samuel Jessup. 



1844 1 894 

THE 

SEMI-CENTENNIAL 

OF THE 

Presbyterian Church 



OF 



ONEIDA, N. Y., 



JUNE 13, 1894. 







3^§t)/'^ 



PUBLISHED BY THE CHURCH. 

I 






TUB LIBRARY 
OF CON OREIS 

WAMUWGTO* 



Copyrighted, 1894, 

BY 

THE TRUSTEES OF PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 

Oneida, N. Y. 



THE MERSHON COMPANY PRESS,, 
RAHWAY, N. J. 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



Frontispiece: Rev. Samuel Jessup, D. D., Present Pastor. 

The Old Church. 

Group of Former Pastors. 

The Interior of the New Church. 

The Exterior of the New Church. 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Sermon, by Dr. Nichols, .8 

History of the Church, by A. W. Hill, . . . 13 

Letters from Abroad, 36 

Laid Away Memories, by Mrs. Foster, .... 48 

Address, by Rev. W. S. Carter of Waterloo, . . .58 

Address, by Rev. E. H. Payson of Oneida, . . . 61 

Address, by Rev. Dr. Baker of Philadelphia, . . .63 

Remarks by the Pastor, 66 

The Reception, .66 

List of Elders, 68 

List of Trustees, . . . ... . . .70 

Organizations within the Church, 72 

Programme of Church Services, 73 

Roll of Church Members, 74 



THE SEMI-CENTENNIAL 



OF THE 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 

i 844- i 894. 



The 13th day of June, 1894, will long be remembered by 
the members and congregation of the Presbyterian Church, 
Oneida, on account of the interesting services in commemo- 
ration of the completion of the first half century of exist- 
ence as a church organization. 

The exercises of the day began at 10.30 a. m., at which 
time the church was well filled, many being present from out 
of town who had journeyed hither for the express purpose of 
being present. After the singing of the doxology by the 
congregation Rev. Dr. S. Jessup, the honored pastor, in- 
voked the divine blessing upon the exercises that were to 
follow. The Scriptures were read by Rev. W. S. Carter of 
Waterloo, N. Y., a child of this church. Rev. O. A. Kings- 
bury of New Hartford then offered prayer, and the con- 
gregation joined in singing, " Come, Thou Fount of Every 
Blessing." The morning sermon was then delivered by 
Rev. G. Parsons Nichols, D. D., pastor of the First Presby- 
terian Church of Binghamton. Dr. Nichols is a nephew 
and son-in-law of Rev. James Nichols, the first pastor of 
the church. 



8 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 



Dr. Nichols took for his theme, "The Old Paths of 
Religion/' speaking from the text Jeremiah vi. 16 : " Thus 
saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for 
the old paths, where is the good way, and ye shall find rest 
for your souls." He spoke in substance as follows : 



SERMON — DR. G. PARSONS NICHOLS. 

We are assembled here this morning under most interest- 
ing circumstances. Fifty years ago there was organized 
for the worship of the only living and true God, the Father, 
Son, and Holy Ghost, the First Presbyterian Church of 
Oneida, and we are met to commemorate that event and to 
offer up our praise to the divine giver of all blessings. 
Nature herself approves of our intentions and smiles upon 
to-day. It has always been a custom with all nations and 
peoples to signalize notable events with commemorative 
exercises. While Holy Scripture does not make it an obliga- 
tion, it recognizes the fitness and records many instances of 
its observance. When the Israelites crossed the Jordan 
twelve men took twelve stones from the bed of the river 
and set them up on the place where the feet of the priests 
had first occupied the promised land. At Mizpah Samuel 
erected a pillar which he called Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto 
hath the Lord blessed us. The custom was recognized 
throughout all primitive nations, and all people have been 
accustomed to make grateful acknowledgment for victories 
won and to erect memorial stones. Under such conditions 
we are here to render praise to Almighty God for blessings 
vouchsafed in the years, that are gone. 

As a representative of the first minister to this people, 
your pastor has asked me to take an introductory part in 
these ceremonies. I assure you that it is with greatest 
pleasure that I stand before you to participate in this jubilee 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 9 

celebration. I have no knowledge of the text from which 
my revered uncle preached his first sermon to this people, 
but I have a vivid recollection of the last sermon that he 
preached on earth. It was full of the sublime doctrine of 
grace through Christ which he had held so steadfastly from 
the beginning of his service in the Christian ministry — that 
doctrine of one pure stream of faith and comfort, one 
transcendent system of truth. There are differences in the 
progress of impressions, but it is of indestructible existence. 
You may call it Pauline Christianity, Augustinism, Calvin- 
ism, or Presbyterianism, it is God's exalted plan for man's 
redemption by the great salvation through Jesus Christ, 
revealed by St. Paul and St. John, systematized by Augustine 
and Calvin, and preached by Luther and Beecher and 
Spurgeon. Therefore I am to speak to you this morning 
on the old paths of religion. Are we to first meet Jesus 
here in the old paths, or are we to look for some new and 
better way ? Great advancements have been made in the 
matter of religion, and many are living in confident anticipa- 
tion of great progress in the spirit of religion. They think 
that we are even now on the edge of a. new dawn, that it 
is brightly shining in the eastern skies, widening the purple 
about us in the progress of religion. 

We live in an age of improvement, in the physical sciences 
and mechanical arts. The question is, What things does man 
improve ? In what ways is it best to leave the old and seek 
the new and better paths, and in what ways do the old paths 
show the better ways ? In the first place, there is this dis- 
tinction : There is progress in those things in which knowl- 
edge is handed down ; in those things where each must go 
back to the fountain springs for himself there can be no 
progress. There are many things that we pick up where 
others lay them down, where one generation stands on the 



lo SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

shoulders of the preceding one. In these things we do not 
inquire for the old paths — the new ones are better. We 
know more about geography than St. Paul, who thought this 
earth to be only a belt of land around the Mediterranean 
Sea; more about natural history than the inspired psalmist 
of Israel, who loved the birds and beasts and who saw the 
majesty of God in the forests ; more about the solar system 
than the father of theology ; more about anatomy than Dr. 
Harvey, who discovered the circulation of the blood. So 
in all these lines of inherited knowledge there is progress, 
and the new ways are the best ways. 

But turning to the higher field where each must climb to 
the fountain springs for himself and put his lips to the 
clear waters of knowledge and the old ways are the best. 
What improvement has been made in sculpture since the 
days of ancient Greece ? What improvement in painting 
since the days of Michael Angelo ? What orator has arisen 
greater than Demosthenes ? What philosopher greater than 
Plato ? What poet could equal Homer, Mozart, Shakspere, 
or Dante ? They shine as stars in paths higher than we 
have known, paths where progress holds no sway. The 
march of mind is not discernible. Accordingly in these 
things we inquire after the old paths, we ask for the old 
ways. We copy the works of ancient genius, and no man 
having possessed the old desires the new. In these things 
one man cannot stand on the shoulders of another. Each 
man must lay his own foundations, build his own structure, 
and carry back the secret of his wonder-working genius to 
its divine giver an undivulged mystery. When the Lord 
Almighty has shown anything from heaven progress is not 
to be looked for. The cultivating of the soil, the opening 
of mines, the building of railroads, the improvement of 
property, the promotion of education, and a multitude of 



OXEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. II 

such things have not been spoken from heaven. There is 
no " thus saith the Lord " there. We do not inquire here 
for the old paths, but open new ones, and there are still 
newer ones to be opened. But how to lighten the world, 
how to beautify the stars, how to distribute the waters and 
gather them together in one place, how to bring forth the 
seeds in their order, how to bring forth life, how to put 
hearing into the ear and open the eye to vision, how to place 
wings on the butterfly, how to color the rose — these are 
things where God has spoken and they remain just where 
he left them ; the march of time does not touch them, they 
continue on from generation to generation. There has 
been no improvement in trees since David saw them clap 
their hands. The midnight skies last night, beautiful as 
they were, were no more so than when Abraham lay out 
under the Assyrian sky. 

Religion is present work. It is like learning to walk or 
talk. We do the same thing that our fathers have done. 
There is but one path of holiness ; there is none shorter. 
Each one must come to God for himself. He must climb 
over the hills and mountains and go over the whole ground 
for himself. He must start at the beginning and go on to 
the end just as if he were the first Christian in the world. 
Religion is the gift of God Almighty and has not been a bit 
improved since its institution. Why is it not just as reason- 
able to look for a new and improved sun as for an improve- 
ment on the light and knowledge that is in Christ Jesus, our 
Lord ? I want to impress upon you my reasons for holding 
by the old paths, the old confession of faith, the old Sabbath 
usages, the old sacraments, the old hymns of devotion, the old 
acts of piety, and the old, old story of the cross. I love this 
old way best. I love the old paths because they have been 
trodden by the feet of so many men and women, by such a 



12 SEMI-CENTENNIAL. 

magnificent line of faithful witnesses, by an endless proces- 
sion of triumphant souls, pilgrims, apostles, martyrs, holy 
men, sainted women, and innocent children. Again, I love 
the old paths because they are not man's, but God's. I love 
the old paths because they are for all mankind and suited 
for the feet of every man, woman, and child. I love the 
Church because it is not a class church, but a great family in 
which high and low, rich and poor, cultured and ignorant 
are all together on the same way. There is a sense in which 
we can improve religion. Not in itself, but in our relation 
to it. We can improve religion by giving its truths more 
enthusiastic homage, by keeping to the old paths more 
faithfully, by a closer application of its teachings, and by 
bringing others into the good way where they shall find rest 
for their souls. 

The afternoon session was the historical session of the 
celebration. The opening prayer was offered by Rev. I. N. 
Terry, assistant pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church 
of Utica, after which Elder Ambrose W. Hill read an inter- 
esting history of the church for its first half century. The 
history was as follows : 




The Old Church. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH. 

A. W. HILL. 

Fifty-five years ago, in 1839, a railway connecting 
Utica and Syracuse was completed. In this locality it ran 
through an almost unbroken wilderness. 

An enterprising man, Mr. Sands Higinbotham, who owned 
a large tract of land here, having contributed a portion of 
it to the railroad, secured a depot at this point, and entered 
into a contract with the managers of the road, which" stipu- 
lated that for an unlimited period every passenger train 
should stop fifteen minutes. This arrangement made this 
place a desirable one in which to locate, and so the village 
of Oneida Depot sprang into existence, and in five years it 
contained about two hundred inhabitants. Fortunately 
many of these were a substantial, right-minded sort of people, 
religiously inclined. I find the following in an old diary : 

" March 27, 1843. Rev. Mr. Batten (Episcopalian) called 
a meeting and tried to form a society. 

" April 9. Mr. Batten preached. 

11 April 30. Rev. Mr. Gregg (Episcopalian) preached. 

" August 20. Elder Ransom (Baptist) preached. 

"August 27. Mr. Batten preached. 

" September 18. A Catholic priest held a service'. 

" October 16. Elder Ransom preached. 

" March 3, 1844. Elder Blodgett (Presbyterian) preached. 

"June 16. Rev. Mr. Nichols preached. 

11 On Saturday there was a row in the reading room 
where the above services were held. The president of the 

13 



14 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

literary society did not want any more religious services 
held in that building/' 

Soon after the citizens wisely decided to organize a 
church. Our present pastor, Dr. Jessup, in a discourse de- 
livered July 2, 1876, said : 

" Early in the year 1844 a meeting was held at the house 
of Mr. Sands Higinbotham on Main Street to consult in 
regard to the formation of a Presbyterian church and society 
in this village. There were present at this meeting Mr. 
and Mrs. Sands Higinbotham, their son Niles Higinbotham, 
Alexander Stewart, James Stewart, Jeremiah Cooper, Jacob 
Cooper, Garrett Van Brocklin, Simon P. New, and Luke 
Hitchcock. 

"At -this meeting it was resolved to undertake the enter- 
prise, including the erection of a suitable house of worship, as 
soon as practicable. The outcome of this first conference was 
a public meeting, of which the following record was made : 

" A meeting of the citizens of Oneida Depot and vicinity 
was held in the reading room on Mill Street (now Madi- 
son) Friday evening, March 1, 1844, for the purpose of 
forming a Presbyterian Society, and to elect trustees for the 
same. Heman Phelps was made chairman, and Stephen H. 
Goodwin secretary. It was resolved, That the number of 
trustees of this society be three, who and their survivors 
forever shall be known by the name and title of the 
trustees of the Oneida Depot Presbyterian Society, and 
whenever a church is to be organized in this society they 
are to apply to a presbytery which is in connection with 
the Old School General Assembly for such organization. 

" The following persons were elected trustees : 

" James Stewart for one year. 

" Jeremiah Cooper for two years. 

" Stephen H. Goodwin for three years. 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 15 

11 It was also resolved, That Luke Hitchcock, N. Higin- 
botham, and S. E. Cobb be a building committee to associ- 
ate with the trustees, to circulate a subscription, and build 
a house for public worship if funds enough can be obtained. 

" The action of this meeting was duly certified to and re- 
corded in the clerk's office on the 25th of March follow- 
ing, and the society became incorporate under an act of 
the legislature. 

" On April 29 of the same year thirty-six persons, citizens 
of Oneida Valley and vicinity, signed a request to the 
presbytery of Albany that it would delegate a committee 
to visit this place and examine into the expediency of form- 
ing here a Presbyterian church. In compliance with that 
request, on June 13, 1844, appeared Rev. E. S. Barrows, 
Rev. J. H. Mcllvaine, Rev. A.'Bloodgood, and Rev. James 
Nichols of the Albany presbytery, and proceeded to 
organize a church and to ordain elders therein. 

1 The following persons, thirty in number, whose letters 
of dismission and recommendation were found to be 
regular and satisfactory, were formed into a church : 

" Heman Phelps, Jeremiah Cooper, James Moore, Peter 
D. Cooper, Garret Van Brocklin, Charles L. Gardner, 
David Blackman, Simon P. New, William Stewart, Francis 
Stewart, Alexander Stewart, James Stewart, Cornelius 
Stewart, Jacob H. Cooper. 

11 Mary Phelps, Maria Cooper, Martha Moore, Gitty 
Cooper, Reny L. Van Brocklin, Louisa Gardner, Asenath 
Blackman, Sarah New, Isabella Stewart, Jane Stewart, 
Christina J. Stewart, Eliza Stewart, Ann Eliza Cooper, 
Agnes Cooper, Caroline Cooper, Harriet Cooper." 

Of these thirty there were nine Stewarts and nine 
Coopers. 

Twenty of these original members were received by let- 



*6 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

ter from the older church at Wampsville, and since then we 
have from time to time drawn of the strength of that church, 
which in a measure accounts for its present enfeebled con- 
dition. The question arises, Have we made proper returns 
to this our mother church ? 

The following brethren were the first ruling elders of this 
church : David Blackman, Heman Phelps, James Stewart, 
Jeremiah Cooper, Charles L. Gardner. 

The first clerk of the session was Jeremiah Cooper, 
elected June 21, 1844. 

The first sermon was a sacramental discourse delivered 
by the Rev. Mr. Mcllvaine, after which the Rev. Mr. Bar- 
rows administered the ordinance of the Lord's Supper to 
the church. 

The church thus formed adopted the constitution of the 
Presbyterian Church, the Longer and Shorter Catechisms, 
the Articles of Faith, and the Covenant. These latter con- 
sisted of thirteen lengthy statements of doctrinal belief, and 
an iron-clad pledge of allegiance. They were sufficiently 
strong and comprehensive to satisfy the most extreme 
adherents of the Old School branch of our Church.- 

The "requisite funds" for the new church must have 
been raised, for on November 30, 1844, at a meeting it was 
resolved, That the new meeting house be dedicated to 
the worship of God so soon after the 1st day of January 
next as the paint of said house is sufficiently dry, and the 
traveling will admit, and that the Rev. D. D. Nott be 
invited to preach the dedicatory sermon, and in case of his 
failure, the Rev. Mr. Mcllvaine or Rev. Mr. Barrows be 
invited to preach. The lot upon which the church was 
built was on the corner of Main and Mulberry streets, and 
was the gift of Mr. Niles Higinbotham, and was valued at 
two hundred dollars. 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 17 

The original edifice was a small wooden building, sixty- 
feet long by forty feet broad. It was surmounted by a 
steeple about fifty feet high, in which one year later was 
hung the bell we are now using. The interior of the build- 
ing was finished with plastered ceiling, with no decoration. 
The pews were of the square high-back order, with high 
doors in the end, and were far more comfortable than were 
some of the instruments of the Inquisition. They con- 
sisted of two rows through the center of the church, and at 
right angles to these was one row running lengthwise along 
each of the side walls. A narrow vestibule ran across the 
front end, over which was a gallery, where the singers and 
the noisy boys were to be found. A small stove was placed 
in the vestibule, and just inside the doors in each corner 
were two large box stoves for burning wood, and from these 
ran pipes through the room to the chimneys in the rear end. 
Back of the church long sheds were built to shelter the 
horses of those who came in from the country to. attend 
service. The cost of the whole was about $1500, of which 
$1150 was raised by subscription, and for the balance of 
$350 a mortgage on the property was given to Tilly Lynde. 
This is the only mortgage, I think, we have ever had occa- 
sion to give. It was paid May 26, 1856. 

Toward the erection of the building both men and 
women contributed liberally, not only of money, but of 
labor and material. Farmers came in with their teams, and 
helped to uproot the stumps and grade the lot. Very 
much of the timber was given by Mr. Sands Higinbotham, 
and was cut from his land north of the railroad and rafted 
up the Feeder. After the timber was on the ground and 
prepared, then came the " raising." This was a great event. 
The people came from all directions. Refreshments were 
provided in great abundance. Pumpkin pies, sandwiches, 



i8 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 



cake, lemonade (nothing stronger) by the pailful and barrel- 
ful, enough to satisfy all present. The ladies held church 
fairs then as now. The first one was at the Railroad 
House, then kept by Erasmus Stone. With the proceeds 
they purchased a large Bible, chairs, festooned trimmings 
with tassels for the pulpit, cushions for the pews, chandeliers, 
etc. It was truly a work of love. 

The first pastor was Rev. James Nichols, who came 
from Utica. He was in charge of this church from its 
organization until November, 1850, a little over six 
years. 

At a meeting of the session held August 24, 1844, it 
was resolved, That Jeremiah Cooper be appointed a dele- 
gate to the next meeting of the presbytery of Albany, and 
that he request said presbytery to receive this church under 
its watch and care ; also that said delegate beseech said 
presbytery that they would recommend our church to the 
General Assembly's Board of Missions, and grant us some 
aid to support the gospel here, and appoint the Rev. James 
Nichols as a missionary to labor among us. 

At a meeting of the session held September 28, 1844, 
Jeremiah Cooper reported that at the meeting of the 
presbytery of Albany, held at Fonda's Bush, on the 3d of 
September, said presbytery had received our church under 
its watch and care, and that they had voted to aid us to the 
extent of two hundred dollars for the ensuing year. 

At a meeting of the church and congregation held 
February 1, 1845, Rev. James Nichols was elected pastor 
at an annual salary of five hundred dollars. 

He was ordained and installed February 8, 1845. The 
installation sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Chester, 
the charge to the pastor by Rev. Mr. Huntington, the 
charge to the people by the Rev. Mr. Wood. During 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 19 

Mr. Nichols' stay with us two more elders were added to the 
session, James McFarland, December 1, 1849, and Garret 
Van Brocklin, March 1, 1850. In December, 1846, James 
McFarland and E. R. Willard were ordained and installed 
as deacons of this church. 

During Mr. Nichols* six years, the membership of the 
church increased from the original thirty to seventy-eight. 
Forty-five were received by letter and eighteen on profes- 
sion of their faith, while fifteen were dismissed. The first 
person to unite with the church on profession of faith was 
Mrs. Julia Randall (mother of Alonzo Randall), on February 
22, 1845. Among other persons who were received during 
that period were Mr. and Mrs. Nathan B. Wilber, Mrs. 
Abby Goodwin, Mrs. Ann Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Grove 
W. Stoddard, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Loomis (parents of Mrs. 
Lucinda Payson), Mr. Socrates W. Squiers, and Emily M. 
Squiers, his wife (who was a daughter of Elder James 
McFarland). Mrs. Squiers now lives in Connecticut. Of 
the original thirty members only two are now living : Mrs. 
Reny L. Van Brocklin, now eighty-seven years old, and who 
lives south of Oneida in the same house where she then 
lived, and Mrs. Isabella Stewart, aged seventy-nine, widow 
of Francis Stewart, now living with her daughter, Mrs. Nettie 
Mitchell, near Cazenovia. 

Mr. Nichols was compelled by utter prostration and loss 
of voice to resign his pastoral charge here, which he did in 
November, 1850. He went to Geneseo to take charge of a 
presbyterial academy there. The change had a favorable 
effect, though for three years he was unable to preach. 
While in this school a powerful revival occurred, during 
which there were more than sixty conversions among the 
pupils. About twenty of these entered the ministry. He 
left Geneseo in April, 1858, and went to Rochester to 



20 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

take charge of the Rochester Female Academy. Soon 
after he became interested in the Western House of Refuge, 
and was appointed chaplain of the institution, which 
position he held until his death. In 1861 he was made 
chaplain of the 108th Regiment, which left Rochester in 
August, 1862, and joined the army in time to be present on 
the field of Antietam. After that bloody action he buried 
thirty-three of those fresh recruits, and, saddened, he took 
his place in the extemporized hospitals of the regiment as it 
moved on to Fredericksburg, caring for the sick and dying 
as best he might. In March, 1863, he was compelled to 
resign, because of an attack of pleurisy. In the summer he 
so far rallied as to go to Saratoga, stopping at Oneida on 
his way. His last look at the dear village was at the church 
and at the graveyard, where lay two of his children, and at 
the old parsonage. He returned home, tried to resume 
work, but gave it up, and after a few months died on 
January 31, 1864. 

The following persons were members of the first choir : 
Jeremiah Cooper, chorister, Harrison Randall, Caleb 
Bascom, who sometimes played the bass viol, Mr. and Mrs. 
Socrates Squiers, Mrs. Abby Goodwin, Lucinda Loomis 
(now Payson), Sarah Cooper, Mrs. James A. Bennett, Mrs. 
William Hunt. 

Choir singers even in those days would sometimes let 
their angry passions rise. One Sunday morning the choris- 
ter, Mr. Cooper, held opinions not in accord with those of 
the rest of the choir. Failing to bring them into harmony 
with him, he locked the organ, put the key in his pocket, 
went down and sat with the congregation, and awaited 
further developments. When the time came to sing, lo ! 
the organ started up as usual, much to the astonishment of 
the chorister. 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 21 

Two boys, Alonzo Randall and Richard Chantry, had 
picked the lock with a knife. 

In those days the choir did all the singing, no books 
being furnished to the people in the pews. All the con- 
gregation would rise to their feet at every hymn, and turn 
their backs to the minister, so as to face the choir in the 
gallery. This practice was continued until Rev. Mr. 
Gregory came. He kept the people " front face " all 
through the service. 

A few, however, who objected to the u city style " brought 
from Philadelphia by the pastor, for a while persisted in 
turning about in the old way. 

Donation parties were indispensable in those days. The 
first one, held for the benefit of Rev. Mr. Nichols, was at his 
home at Oneida Castle, where he first lived after coming 
from Utica, in a house belonging to Mr. Graves on the 
street running to Sconondoah. These donations were 
annual affairs, held usually in Empire Hall (over Theo. 
Carter's store). Later on they were held in Devereux Hall. 
They were kept up until Rev. Mr. Robinson came. He 
objected to them, so they were discontinued. For a time at 
the beginning praye-r meetings were held from house to 
house, then at the church, during the winter months in the 
vestibule, as it was easily warmed, and in the summer in 
the body of the church. 

The first parsonage was built about two years after the 
erection of the church. It was first occupied by Rev. Mr. 
Nichols, he having moved there from Oneida Castle. It 
then had a basement, in which Mr. Nichols conducted a 
select school. It was the building now owned and occu- 
pied by Mr. Albert Marcellus, No. 134 Main Street. 

Almost from the first our church has been a self-sustain- 
ing one. Rev. Mr. Nichols began with a salary of five 



2 2 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

hundred dollars, and only on the first year was any aid 
asked of the Board of Missions, when we received, as 
before stated, a contribution of two hundred dollars. Since 
1852 we have regularly and in steadily increasing amounts 
given to the cause of missions. 

On the 21st day of May, 185 1, the session resolved, 
That we invite the Rev. Caspar R. Gregory, who is a 
member of the presbytery of Philadelphia, having engaged 
to supply our pulpit for one year, to act as our moderator 
during his stay among us. 

Early in 1852 Rev. Mr. Gregory was unanimously chosen 
the pastor of this church, at a salary of five hundred dollars. 
He was installed by the presbytery of Mohawk on Tuesday 
evening, March 9, 1852. During his pastorate of thirteen 
years the following persons served as elders : James 
Stewart, Jeremiah Cooper, Garret L. Van Brocklin, Robert 
J. Stewart, Earl Loomis, Johnson Harvey, Josiah Simons, 
Alonzo Randall, Seymour E. Douglass, Charles H. Eames, 
Goodwin P. Soper. 

When Mr. Gregory resigned the whole number of com- 
municants was 116. While he was here 95 were received on 
profession of their faith and 59 by letter, a total of 154, while 
116 were dismissed. 

Dr. Gregory's relation with us was dissolved in March, 
1864, that he might accept a call from the First Presbyterian 
Church at Bridgeton, N. J. The following is from a sermon 
of Dr. Jessup's delivered July 2, 1876 : 

" Dr. Gregory was therefore pastor of this church for thir- 
teen years, nearly twice as long as his predecessor, the 
honored and beloved first pastor, and more than three times 
as long as either of his successors. It is not too much to 
say, therefore, that more than any other he has made his 
mark upon the church. He ministered in times of agitation, 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 23 

when almost every church in the land was more or less dis- 
turbed, and doubtless this church did not escape. But 
throughout his pastorate the church grew steadily in num- 
bers and influence, and not a few of those among us hold 
in grateful remembrance his pastoral fidelity and watchful- 
ness. In a short sketch from his pen he speaks with warm 
interest of many of his co-laborers, both in the church and 
society, among whom, since they are no longer with us, I 
may mention the names of James Stewart, Mr. and Mrs. N. 
B. Wilbur, Mr. Sands Higinbotham, Mrs. Sands Higin- 
botham, now living in Schenectady, Mr. Samuel Breese, and 
Mr. Romain T. Fiske, for several years superintendent of 
Sunday School. In reference to the church life in the earlier 
days he says, ' They were not forgetful to entertain strangers, 
and while every family had its own intimate friends and 
associates, it acted on the principle that every member of 
the congregation was welcome to the house of every other. 
And the ladies of the congregation made it a part of the 
service of the Lord Jesus to call upon every family who 
entered our church more than once, and at inexpensive 
gatherings in their own homes to introduce those who would 
worship with us. It was a custom to look after the young, 
and if a young man would but make it possible for them to 
do so, the church would introduce him to their own society 
and homes.' Undoubtedly this greatly contributed to the 
prosperity of the church in those early days, and I am sure 
we have not outgrown the need and importance, even if we 
have outgrown the habit of doing likewise. 

" Our terrible Civil War occurred during Dr. Gregory's 
pastorate, and he says of those trying times, 'The Lord was 
very good to this church. On the day after the firing upon 
Sumter, at the suggestion of the pastor, two ladies, both of 
whom are now with us, made a flag (for none could be 



2 4 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OE THE 

bought), and the dawn of the Sabbath saw it floating from 
the top of the steeple, where it stayed until whipped into 
shreds. The text of that morning was Psalm xx. 5-7, " We 
will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we 
will set up our banners ; the Lord fulfill all thy petitions. 
Now know I that the Lord saveth his annointed ; he will 
hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength 
of his right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in 
horses ; but we will remember the name of the Lord 
our God." 

The church never wavered in its loyalty, the pulpit gave 
no uncertain sound, and yet such was the goodness of God 
that, while the congregation was made up of men whose 
opinions were of all shades, even to the most opposite ex- 
tremes, yet there was no interruption of harmony and not a 
single man forsook. the service. The church contributed 
constantly to the wants of the army, and gave to it the 
young men whom she felt least able to spare ; but she fol- 
lowed them with her prayers, and in His good mercy He 
who hears prayer brought nearly all of them back, honored, 
safe, beloved/ Two brave boys from the Sunday School, 
Barton Harvey and John R. Stewart, did not return." 

From Bridgeton, N. J., Dr. Gregory was called to a 
professorship in Lincoln University at Oxford, Pa., where 
he remained until his death, which occurred February 
26, 1882. He was fifty-eight years of age. His last visit 
to Oneida was in November, 1879. 

On March 23, 1857, Dr. Earl Loomis was elected 
deacon, he being the third and last one elected to that 
office in our church. 

On February 7, 1864, after much deliberation it was 
resolved, That the members of the church be called 
together on the 8th inst., at ten o'clock a. m., to decide the 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. \ 25 

propriety of letting all female members of the church have 
a right to vote in the election of elders. The meeting of 
the male members of the church was held on the 8th inst. 
and the right of suffrage (as above) was extended to 
women. 

For a number of years up to 1861 persons renting pews 
were required to give their notes for the price of the same, 
these being payable half July 1, the balance January 1, 
following. If these notes ran overdue ten days five per 
cent, was added. 

In 1857 the church was enlarged by adding a vestibule in 
front, and throwing open the old one as a part of the 
audience room. 

Our pastor, Rev. Mr. Gregory, having built a house for 
himself, in i860 the parsonage was sold to Mr. C. A. 
Walrath. 

On August 25, 1864, a cai l was extended to Rev. Charles 
E. Robinson of Woodbury, Conn., to be our pastor. Mr. 
Robinson accepted the call. He first met with the session 
December 1, 1864. He was installed by the presbytery of 
Mohawk at a meeting held in our church March 1, 1865. 
The installation sermon was preached by Rev. R. W. 
Condit, D. D., of Oswego. Charge to the pastor by Rev. 
Samuel M. Campbell, D. D., of Utica. Charge to the people, 
Rev. F. Filmore of Syracuse. Rev. Mr. Robinson was 
our pastor until July 30, 1867, when he resigned to accept a 
call from the Second Presbyterian Church of Troy, N. Y. 
No change was made in the session while Mr. Robinson was 
here. In his two and one-half years the membership of the 
church increased from 116 to 174, a gain of 58 ; 42 united on 
profession of faith and 41 by letter, a total of 83, while 25 
were dismissed. The amount contributed for benevolent 
purposes during that period was $685.14, an average of 



26 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 



$229 per year, and $8264 was raised for congregational 
purposes. 

Besides this our. present parsonage was built in 1866. 
The contract price with J. A. Frost for the erection of the 
building was $2460. The total cost, however, was $3085.09, 
of which amount about $1500 was raised by subscription, 
while the balance was the proceeds of a mortgage which the 
church had held against the former parsonage. 

In 1864, just at the beginning of Mr. Robinson's pastorate, 
quite extensive repairs were made on the church. The 
building was lengthened out, the old sheds were removed 
from the rear, and in their place was built the session room 
(now used as the emergency room). The old box seats 
were torn out and more modern ones put in their place. 
The walls were frescoed. The old stoves and the long 
pipes were discarded, and a wood-burning furnace was put 
in, all this being done at an expense of $2023.45. Cer- 
tainly while Mr. Robinson was here the people had a mind 
to give, for in two and one-half years $12,472.59 was raised, 
an average of about $5000 per year. This was very soon 
after the war, and the people were made liberal by its stimu- 
lating influences. 

At a meeting of the society held in February, 1867, it was 
resolved, That we as a church are more than satisfied with 
our pastor, Rev. Charles E. Robinson. From Troy Mr. 
Robinson was called to the First Presbyterian Church of 
Rochester. He is now pastor of the Second Presbyterian 
Church of Scranton, Pa. 

At a meeting of the congregation held October 7, 1867, 
Rev. George D. Baker of the Stone Street Presbyterian 
Church, Watertown. N. Y., was elected pastor. He was 
installed by the presbytery of Mohawk December 3, 1867. 
Installation sermon by the Rev. Dr. Condit of Oswego. 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 27 

Charge to the pastor, Rev. Dr. Strong. Charge to the 
people, Rev. James A. Worden, D. D., now superintendent 
of Sabbath school and missionary work. Dr. Baker 
remained with us until July 28, 187 1, when he resigned to 
accept a call from the First Presbyterian Church of Detroit, 
Mich. One change was made in the session while he was 
here. On July 26, 1868, A. Wayne Barker was ordained 
elder. The membership of the church increased from 174 
to 225, 42 having been received on profession of faith 
and 63 by letter, in all 105, while 54 were dismissed. The 
Sunday school attained a membership of 250. The liberal- 
ity of the church had not grown less, for during this three 
and one-half years there was contributed for benevolent 
purposes upward of $1500, and for congregational uses 
$12,097.10, a total of $13,600. 

In 1869 two large reflectors were placed in the ceiling of 
the church at an expense of $250. Pipes were also put in 
and other fixtures for the use of gas. In 1868 a barn was 
built and other improvements made at the parsonage, 
involving an expense of $948.63, of which amount Rev. 
Mr. Baker contributed ^563.63. 

From Detroit Dr. Baker was called to his present position 
as pastor of the First Presbyterian-Church of Philadelphia. 

At a meeting of the society held October 26, 18; 1, Rev. 
William N. Page of Amenia, N. Y., was elected pastor, and 
a committee appointed to present and prosecute a call. 
Mr. Page accepted, but subsequently, for reasons stated by 
him, and approved by the church, he withdrew his accept- 
ance. 

On the evening of March 26, 1872, Rev. Samuel Jessup 
of Dansville, N. Y., was elected pastor. He began his work 
here on Sunday, May 5, 1872. 

He was installed at the evening session of the presbytery 



28 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

of Utica, convened in our church Tuesday, September 10, 
1872. Installation sermon by Rev. S. P. Sprecher of Utica. 
Charge to the pastor, Rev. T. B. Hudson, D. D., of Clinton. 
Charge to the people, Rev. Peter Stryker, D. D., of Rome. 
On May 5 last he had served this people as pastor twenty- 
two years. The following persons have assisted him in the 
work as elders : Robert J. Stewart, Alonzo Randall, A. 
Wayne Barker, Goodwin P. Soper, Myron M. Allen, Jacob 
Winnie, William H. Carter, Ambrose W. Hill, Elverton C. 
Stark, Charles B. Cowles, Richard B. Ruby, Miles Upson, 
William M. Baker, Julius J. Smith. 

The membership of the church has increased from 225 
to 534> lae number enrolled at the present time. During 
these twenty-two years 424 persons have united with the 
church on profession of their faith, and 252 have been 
received by letters from other churches, making 676 acces- 
sions in all, an average of 31 per year. In the same period 
the amount given to benevolent objects has been $17,639.26, 
an average of $801.80 per year. During the last eight 
years, when we have been working under the Systematic 
Pledge plan, the average amount of benevolent contribu- 
tions has been $1137.05 per year, an average gain over that 
of the previous fourteen years of $524.70. 

The amount raised for congregational purposes during 
the twenty-two years has been $65,324, an average of $2970. 
Besides this, in 1883-84 our new church was erected at a 
cost of $27,654.47, and the lot cost $4000, a total of $31,- 
654.47. Of this amount $23,711.50 was raised by subscrip- 
tion, and $7680 from the sale of the old church property. 
The balance of $262.97 was taken from the general fund. 

In the year 1872 at the February meeting of the congre- 
gation we began the system of selling the church pews at 
auction. This method of raising money to pay expenses 




Rev. James Nichols. 

Rev. Chas. E. Robinson, D. D. 



Rev. C. R. Gregory, D. D. 



Rev. Geo. D. Baker, D. D, 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 29 

was continued fifteen years, until February 7, 1887, when 
we voted to make the seats free, and to raise the neces- 
sary funds by subscription. The free pew system ran 
through four years, until February, 189 1, when we revived 
the auction sale, and the seats were knocked down to the 
highest bidder. 

At the last February meeting the holders of pews were 
allowed to retain their seats at their appraised value, and the 
unclaimed ones were then sold at the same rate. 

This church during its whole existence of fifty years has 
had only five pastors. Nearly one-half of that time has 
been covered by the pastorate of Dr. Jessup, while Dr. 
Gregory's extended over a little more than one-quarter of 
the time, leaving the other one-quarter to be divided be- 
tween the other three pastors. 

I divide the fifty years as follows : 

Rev. James Nichols, 6 years, 4 months, 17 days. 

Supplies, 6 months, 20 days. 

Rev. C. R. Gregory, D. D., 12 years, 9 months, 10 days. 

Supplies, 9 months. 

Rev. C. E. Robinson, D. D., 2 years, 8 months. 

Supplies, 2 months, 7 days. 

Rev. George D. Baker, D. D., 3 years, 9 months, 23 days. 

Supplies, 9 months, 5 days. 

Rev. Samuel Jessup, D. D., 22 years, 1 month, 8 days. 

As to these five ministers of the gospel it may truly be 
said that in each case the relationship between pastor and 
people has been characterized by an unusual degree of 
harmony and affectionate regard. More than an ordinary 
measure of prosperity has attended the labors of these 
faithful servants of God among us. 

Our history has been one of uninterrupted growth and 
advancement, as indicated by the figures given in this 



30 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

sketch. Our church has been active in missionary work. 
The first missionary society of which I find any record 
was one organized from the Sunday school in 1851 at the 
beginning of Dr. Gregory's pastorate by Mr. Romain 
Fiske. This society held monthly meetings for seven years. 
It divided its attention and money equally between the 
home and foreign fields, and considering the difficulties 
under which it labored it did good work. It numbered 
among its members such persons as Seymour E. Douglass, 
Alonzo Randal], John E. Stone. 

The Woman's Missionary Society was organized in the 
spring of 1873, the second year of Dr. Jessup's pastorate. 
Its first meeting was held in the session room of the old 
church. Later meetings were held at the houses of the 
members. Now they are held in our session room on the 
first Monday of each month. The first president was Mrs. 
Mary A. Seeley, who occupied the position many years. Its 
first secretary was Mrs. Wm. Baker. Among the original 
members were Mrs. J. Newell Avery, Mrs. M. M. Allen, 
Mrs. Wm. H. Carter, Mrs. Florence Loomis Stark, Mrs. 
Dr. Spooner, all of whom are dead. Among those now 
living are Mrs. Samuel Jessup, Mrs. Addie Crumb, Mrs. 
Alonzo Randall, Mrs. Jacob Winnie. 

In 1 88 1 this society was reorganized, at which time Mrs. 
Wilber F. Leete was made president. She is now serving 
her thirteenth year in that position. The other officers are 
Mrs. Samuel Jessup, vice president ; Mrs. Frank Chapin, 
secretary ; Miss Georgie Bull, treasurer. At first they gave 
their attention mostly to the foreign fields, but later it has 
been equally divided between the home and foreign. 

This society now numbers sixty members. 

The disbursements to various objects during the past 
year amounted to $255, which is a fair average. There 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 3 1 

is a very efficient branch of this society which confines 
itself exclusively to caring for the poor of our own church. 
This department is officered as follows : Mrs. Dr. E. P. Bailey, 
president ; Mrs. Dr. E. J. Stone, secretary ; Mrs. Wm. E. 
Douglas, treasurer. During last year upward of $225 was 
dispensed by them among those in need of help. 

At the parsonage on July 1, 1875, a society was organized 
called the Missionary Circle of Little Workers. Its work 
was carried on under the direction of Mrs. Newell J. Abbott. 
Its first president was Emma Crawford ; secretary and 
treasurer, Anna Carter. They met once a month, and a 
musical and literary programme was rendered at each 
meeting, and money was raised by them to be used in the 
cause of missions. Much work was done for the poor by 
this circle in the line of making bed quilts, sheets, pillow 
cases, and other clothing. I quote from their secretary's 
book : k< Bright, beautiful evening. Good attendance. 
Received $8.14. Christmas offerings by members con- 
sisting of tea, sugar, bread, buckwheat, calico, etc., were 
distributed by the little girls to three families as Christmas 
gifts. Kindly received by them, and made glad the hearts 
of the givers." 

Some of these little workers were Alice Baker, Kitty 
Jacobs, Addie Rockwell, Emma Ayres, Lillie Lawrence, 
Jennie Seeley, May Chapin, Nellie Merrick, Birdie Atherly, 
Mattie Klock. This society continued its existence for 
over five years. 

A missionary band, made up of girls from the Sunday 
school who call themselves the King's Messengers, was 
organized in 1889 under the direction of Mrs. W. F. Leete. 
They devote their services to both home and foreign mis- 
sionary work. Its officers are Gertrude Randall, president ; 
Lillie May Douglass, vice president ; Daisy Winnie, secre- 



3 2 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

tary ; Clara Phillips, treasurer. It numbers thirty-five 
members. Since their organization five years ago they have 
raised over one hundred dollars, which has been divided 
equally between the two fields. They also render very 
valuable service in other ways. 

A mission sewing school, the members of which are 
called the Willing Workers, has been organized by Mrs. 
D. D. McNair's Bible class of young ladies. This school 
assembles every Saturday afternoon in the church parlors, 
and a large number of children are there taught how to make 
various articles of clothing which are distributed among the 
needy. They are now engaged in filling a barrel to be sent 
to Asheville, N. C. It is a grand work. This society invites 
inspection. 

The Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor of 
our church was organized May 6. 1894, with eighty-five 
charter members. Its first officers were F. N. Moulton, 
president ; Anna E. Ost'rander, vice president ; William 
M. Baker, secretary ; Lillian Walrath, treasurer. It holds 
its meetings every Sunday one hour previous to evening 
service. They are uniformly well attended, and are inter- 
esting and helpful. Through its various committees it 
renders valuable aid to the church in all its departments of 
labor. It has not only greatly assisted in the growth of 
this church, but it has extended its labors to other fields. 
Sunday schools have been conducted by this society in 
Merrillsville, Wampsville, Lenox Basin, Oneida Valley, and 
on the north side of the railroad. The school last mentioned 
meets in the schoolhouse of that district, and there are 
indications manifest there which warrant us in attempting 
to give permanency to the work in that locality by building 
a chapel. 

A lot for this purpose has been donated to us by C. W. 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 33 

Chappell and Benjamin E. Chase. It is located on North 
Broad Street. An effort is now being made to raise money 
enough to build this chapel as a memorial offering com- 
memorative of this fiftieth anniversary of our church. 
This Young People's Society has already raised one hun- 
dred dollars for this purpose, and they have assumed the 
responsibility of carrying on this north side work. This 
society gave to the church the piano new used in the ses- 
sion room, and last year they sent fifty dollars to the Boys' 
Industrial School at Asheville, N. C. Its present officers 
are J. E. Brewer, president ; Mrs. Frank Chapin, vice presi- 
dent ; Miss Addie Rockwell, secretary ; Miss Libbie Ash, 
treasurer. 

The society now has 140 active members and 35 associate 
members. 

We have always been proud of our Sunday school. Its 
birth antedates that of the church by about one year, and 
from it the church throughout its whole existence has drawn 
much of its force and vitality. In 1843 it was organized, 
and held its sessions in the reading room on Mill Street 
near Blodgett's Tavern. 

After the church was completed in 1844 the school was 
removed to that building. For a number of years it was 
held only during the summer months. When Rev. Mr. 
Gregory came in 185 1 we commenced holding Sunday 
school every Sunday of the year between the morning and 
afternoon service. In those days we held no church service 
Sunday evening. Since its first organization our Sunday 
school has had a steady and a healthy growth. In 1844 
its membership was 35 ; in 1864 it was 150 ; in 1866 it 
was 190 ; in 1875 it was 280 ; at present we have on 
the roll a little over 40^ names, and all of these have 
a live, active connection with the school. The present 



34 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

system of numbering allows of no "dead timber/' We 
have no retired list. 

The average attendance thus far in 1894 has been 326. 
The following persons have occupied the position of super- 
intendent : Jeremiah Cooper, E. R. Willard, J. E. Crain, 
Edmund Hills, Rev. C. R. Gregory, Romain Fiske, Good- 
win P. Soper (who filled the position very acceptably for 
more than twenty years), Alonzo Randall, Ambrose W. 
Hill, and Charles H. Parsons. The first assistant superin- 
tendent was Charles B. Cowles ; following him came Wm. 
M. Baker, Howard L. Baldwin, Frank P. Klock, Miss Clara 
A. Parker, and Lewis Quackenbush. 

The Primary Department was organized by Miss Addie 
E. Soper (now Mrs. L. T. Sherrill) in 1859. She was 
its superintendent for a number of years. Her successors 
in that office have been Florence Loomis, Sarah Taylor, 
Mrs. I. N. Messinger, E. C. Stark, Mrs. Samuel Jessup, 
Mrs. Charles H. Parsons, Miss Georgie Bull. In 1892 was 
inaugurated the star system for encouraging regular attend- 
ance. Every class whose members are all present is allotted 
a star. The class receiving the most stars during the year 
has the banner for the succeeding year. This system is now 
in use with good results. 

A very important branch of our school is called the 
Home Department, which was started July 1, 1893, with a 
membership of forty. Mrs. Ella Holliday was its first 
superintendent, she serving in that position only three 
months when she resigned. The department began its 
work with eight visitors, who went from house to house to 
distribute Lesson Leaves, and to encourage Bible study 
among those who cannot attend the regular Sunday school. 
Each member is required to study the lesson at least thirty 
minutes a week. Mrs. Holliday was succeeded by Miss 
Clara A. Parker as superintendent. 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 35 

The number of visitors is now fifteen and the membership 
has increased to 225, thus making our department to rank 
among the largest in the State, if indeed it is not now the 
largest. 

During the nine months of its existence it has added 
$35- 2 5 t0 tne benevolent fund of the Sunday school. All 
this indicates good management on the part of Miss Parker 
and the fifteen visitors. 

In 1874 a series of union revival meetings was held in the 
various churches of Oneida under the direction of the 
evangelists Rev. Mr. Patterson and wife. A good work 
was done. At the June communion following these meet- 
ings forty-one persons were received into our church. In 
1877 Rev. Mr. Mingins, evangelist, conducted similar meet- 
ings, when twenty-four were received into this church. 

In 1884 the churches were assisted in the work by the 
evangelist Rev. Mr. Davidson with still greater results, as 
eighty persons were received into this church at its subse- 
quent June communion. The next evangelist to labor 
among us was Rev. Mr. Dean, in March, 1890, at which time 
we also received large additions to the church. 

In 1853 John Albert Winterick, a German boy, came to 
Oneida in search of employment. He made his home with 
Mr. Asel Randall (father of Alonzo). He united with this 
church August 30, 1855. Later manifesting a desire to 
enter the ministry, he was educated for that calling by this 
church, pursuing his studies in Lafayette College and 
Princeton Theological Seminary. He is now pastor of a 
church in Geneseo, 111. Other persons who in their younger 
days were with us in the Sunday school, and who became 
members of this church, and who went out from among us 
to preach the gospel or to labor as missionaries, are Rev. 
Willis Phelps, now pastor of the Presbyterian Church at 



36 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

Marengo, la.; Rev. Wm. S. Carter, pastor of the Presby- 
terian Church at Waterloo, N. Y. ; Rev. Edward M. Knox 
and his two sisters, who are home missionaries in Utah. 

At a meeting of the session held September 5, 1893, Miss 
Henrietta Barker was appointed as Dr. Jessup's assistant 
in pastoral work. Miss Barker consented to serve in that 
position without salary. 

Those of this fold who are now living may look back 
over the past fifty years, and rejoice in the fact that God has 
used this church in the accomplishment of so great a work. 
Beginning as we did in so small a way as to numbers, hav- 
ing for much of the time such limited financial resources, 
and being in so sparsely settled a community, so circum- 
stanced we are able to show grand results. What, then, 
ought we not to expect from another half century's labors, 
entering .upon it as we do so well equipped as to numbers, 
as to wealth, as to facilities for labor ? And comparing our 
condition now with what it was fifty years ago, we may 
well ask ourselves, What will God require at our hands ? 
May the blessing of God attend us as we go out to meet 
future responsibilities ! 

Following the history Rev. Dr. Jessup read letters from 
Rev. Joshua H. Mcllvaine, D. D., LL. D., one of the 
organizers of the church ; Rev. Charles E. Robinson, D. D., 
third pastor of the church ; Mrs. Mary L. Gregory, widow 
of Rev. Casper R. Gregory, D. D., second pastor of the 
church ; Revs. Albert J. Winterick, Willis B. Phelps, C. W. 
Livingston, E. M. Knox, all former members of the church ; 
Rev. Albert S. Bacon, recently pastor of the Cochran 
Memorial Presbyterian Church at Oneida Castle ; Mrs, 
Isabella MacDonald Alden, wife of Rev. Gustavus R. 
Alden, and better known as " Pansy " ; and Edward B. 




w 



z 
w 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 37 

Taylor, so well remembered by many of our citizens. He 
also announced the receipt of letters from William H. 
Gregory, a son of the second pastor ; Rev. Anson J. 
Upson, D. D., LL. D., Rev. Willis J. Beecher, D. D., Rev. 
Arthur S. Hoyt, D. D., Rev. Edwin H. Dickenson, Rev. 
Levi Parsons, D. D., Rev. Charles S. Richardson, D. D., 
Rev. F. M. Townsend, Rev. William P. F. Ferguson, Mrs. 
Emma A. Bently, Mrs. Polly Eldred, Sarah E. Rollo, 
Elverton C. Stark, Rev. George Hubbard Payson, Rev. 
Charles F. Janes, and others. 

Princeton/N. J., June 6, 1894. 
My Dear Dr. Jessup : 

As I wrote you, I regret extremely that I shall not be able to attend 
the semi-centennial of your church. For though it is fifty years since I 
assisted at its organization, yet I remember my visit to Oneida on that 
occasion with a great deal of pleasure. I was stationed in Utica at the 
time, to which place I had gone to found an Old School church. The 
controversy between the Old and New School theology ran very high in 
those days, and it was thought very desirable to establish Old School 
churches in central and western New York — "the Burnt Region," as it 
was called. In Utica I founded the first " Westminster " church that 
ever existed. At this time the Rev. Mr. Barrows was living in Utica, 
also the Rev. Mr. Bloodgood. The presbytery appointed us three to 
organize the church at Oneida. Mr. Barrows, not long afterward, died in 
Utica. Mr. Bloodgood removed to Michigan, where I afterward visited 
him, for he became my very dear friend. He died some ten years ago. 
There was no railroad west of Utica at the time, and we three (I think 
the Rev. Mr. Nichols was with us) rode to Oneida in a carriage. Mr. 
Nichols and his wife were very amiable and pleasant people and my dear 
friends. 

We were very agreeably entertained by the good people of Oneida, 
and having organized the church by the ordination and installation of 
the elders elect, we left it in good working order, with full promise of 
the prosperity it has ever since enjoyed. 

Very truly yours, 

J. H. McIlvaine. 

To the Rev. Samuel Jessup, D. D. 



3 8 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

Beverly, June 9, 1894. 
My Dear Mrs. Jessup : 

II was with sincere pleasure I read your letter this morning and thank 
you very much for the remembrance. It is not a possible thing for me 
to be with you, nor any of my family, much as I would like to. If you 
knew what a household name Oneida is, you would understand somewhat 
of the love I have for the dear church and people there, many of whom 
have joined my husband in the land where changes do not come. 

My family is very much scattered. My daughters Mary and Anna are 
with me in Beverly, where we have lived since my husband's death. 
My daughter Edith has a college preparatory school in New York City. 
My three sons are out West, as also my eldest daughter, Lizzie (Mrs. 
Dickson), who lives in St. Paul, Minn. I suppose you know my son, 
Caspar R. Gregory, pastor of the Memorial Church, Wilkesbarre, Pa., 
joined his fa* her two years ago last December, much lamented by his 
people, and a great sorrow to me. We often talked of Oneida, and he 
purposed at some time to visit there, although he was only four years old 
when we left. 

I hardly think the Oneida church and people can be any more dear to 
the hearts of you and your husband than they were to me and mine. 
We loved them very dearly, and I am always on the lookout for any 
notice of the church and its work in the papers. A host of names crowd 
to mind to whom I would like to send greeting, and be assured that the 
Oneida church, with pastor and people, will always have a warm place 
in my heart. 

Your friend, 

Mary L. Gregory. 



Geneseo, III., May 21, 1894. 
Dear Brother : 

I was agreeably surprised to receive your letter from Oneida, which 
was my home for some time, and from which place I received so many 
kind and cheering letters in years that are past. I should esteem it a 
great privilege to be with you at the fiftieth anniversary of the organiza- 
tion of our church there, but I have to attend to important business 
which cannot well be postponed. 

Well I remember our very plain church in Oneida, and the divine 
service, the Sunday school, the Bible class, and the Wednesday evening 
prayer meetings I attended there, not one of which was without a bless- 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 39 

ing to me. I joined the church, in the year 1854 (or 1855), under the 
pastorate of Rev. Caspar R. Gregory, who was a kind pastor and an 
affectionate friend tome so long as he lived. By his advice and frequent 
prayers I consulted my heart and conscience whether I was not called to 
prepare for the Christian ministry. Through his influence and exertions 
in my behalf I was taken under care of presbytery, attended the 
Academy of Oneida Castle, taught by Mr. Rice, later on Mr. Camp's 
school at Oneida Depot, as your city was then called, was aided by the 
Board of Education, graduated at Lafayette College, Easton, Pa., in 
1859, and at Princeton Seminary, New Jersey, in 1862. 

During some of my vacations I had my home in the family of Rev. 
Mr. Gregory. I remember that he lost a dear child, by the name of 
Agnes ; that he had considerable trouble with an elder ; that his salary, 
sometimes at least, was not paid promptly at all ; that he had several 
invitations or calls to other churches, but felt it his duty to remain ; that 
he passed through a severe sickness which lasted several months ; that he 
complained of the poor and unhealthy condition of the parsonage, and 
finally built a house for himself, while the parsonage was rented to 
another party. 

I received special favors from the families of Mr. Asel Randall, of Mr. 
James Stewart on the Syracuse road (" Uncle Jim "), and of Mr. Wilbur ; 
also from other church members, whose kind favors I remember, but 
some of whose names I have forgotten. There have doubtless been 
many changes during these forty years in the church and in the member- 
ship. Many of my old familiar friends have joined the church and 
assembly above. 

May you have a blessed anniversary, may pastor and congregation be 
richly blessed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and may many be added 
to the church whose names are written in heaven, is the prayer of 

Your brother in Christ, 

Albert J. Winterick. 

Marengo, Ia., May 28, 1894. 
Dear Brother Joseph : 

Your letter of the 26th inst. came to me this A. M. You cannot regret 
more deeply than I do my inability to be present at the coming anniver- 
sary of your (our) church. 

I became a member of that church early in ihe 'so's — '53 or '54. 
While in course of preparation for the ministry, which began about the 



4° SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

time of my union with the church, I was away from home most of the 
time, and was unable to identify myself with the work and interests of 
the home church. My earliest recollections go back to the pastorate of 
the Rev. James Nichols, who was the first pastor. If I mistake not, he 
began preaching in a little room, in what was then known as the 
Lyceum Building, on Madison Street, near Blodgett's Tavern, and 
owned by my father. My mother and my grandmother were, I think, 
among the charter members of the church. My earliest impressions on 
the subject of religion were received while attending the midweek services 
with my grandmother, who always took me with her, when I was but a 
mere child. One of those meetings I recall very distinctly. It was held, 
I think, in the basement of the old Franklin House, kept by Deacon 
Gardiner. The portion of Scripture read that evening was the first 
chapter of Proverbs. The closing words of that chapter took such a 
strong hold on my mind that I have never forgotten them. The words 
of the leader have long since been forgotten, if, indeed, they were noticed 
at all, but the words of the Book followed me and had a restraining and 
molding influence over me. 

Of the prominent and influential members of the church in those early 
days I am unable to speak definitely, as I was too young to form a cor- 
rect judgment, and, until converted, too thoughtless to be interested in 
such matters. My ideal of greatness was " Lon " Randall and " Pid " 
Randall and a few other big boys whose names have for the present 
slipped from memory. I was in the habit of looking up to them as great 
men, as they sat on the heavy oaken stools at the slab desks on each side 
of the old schoolhouse (was it made of logs or of common boards ?), and 
we " little fellows" occupied the backless benches in the pit. I can, how- 
ever, recall the names and faces of Dr. Loomis and his estimable wife 
(long since gone to heaven), Deacon McFarland, Mr. and Mrs. Moore, 
Jeremiah Cooper Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, Mrs. Allen, John Randall, 
Dr. and Mrs. Fitch, and very many others whom I might mention. 

My earliest recollection of Rev. James Nichols is in connection with a 
school kept in the basement of the old Presbyterian parsonage, situated 
on Main Street about halfway between the old depot and the old Hig- 
inbotham place on the east side of the road. James Nichols was a 
thoroughly good man, very social and much beloved by his people. His 
wife was a noble woman, a fine scholar, and a successful teacher. It was 
through their influence that my thoughts were turned toward securing an 
education, and subsequently toward the ministry. After leaving Oneida 



OXEIDA rRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 4 1 

they took the management of the Temple Hill Academy at Geneseo, 
Livingston Co., N. Y. It was there I began my preparation for a col- 
legiate course. It was there also I was converted and decided to enter 
the ministry. 

Rev. C. R. Gregory was pastor at Oneida at this time. Mr. Gregory 
was a very precise man, a good preacher, and a good pastor. He was a 
man of strong convictions, and usually managed to make things go pretty 
much as he wanted them to. As I look back over more than a third of 
a century, when he was at his best, I can see him moving before my 
mind's eye, a frail, sickly looking man, but with a form as straight as an 
arrow and a steady step, and upon his countenance an expression indic- 
ative of constant meditation upon themes of high and holy character. 
Mr. Gregory has left the impression upon my mind that he was a truly 
consecrated man. Though on account of absence from home I was not 
permitted to be under his ministry for any great length of time, yet the 
influence he had over me, through his letters and counsels and acts, con- 
tinued for years. I gladly rise up to-day to " call him blessed." I shall 
never forget a little incident that occurred soon after his coming to 
Oneida. He invited me and two other boys about my own age to call 
upon him. We went together. After talking to us kindly and faithfully 
we all knelt down and he prayed for each one of us by name. That 
thoughtful and loving act gave me a reverence for the man that ripened 
in later years into a warm affection. 

Congratulating you all on your present happy attainment, and wishing 
you a continuance and multiplication of all good, here and yonder, I 
am, my dear brother, 

Very truly yours, 

W. B. Phelps. 



Hyattsyilt.e, Md., May 31, 1894. 
My Dear Brother Jessup : 

I remember with great distinctness most of my Oneida experience, 
though more than thirty years past. 

Dr. Gregory is easily recalled. He was a man of points, intense in 
his opinions and expressions, his likes and dislikes ; a most self-respect- 
ing man, yet always a gentleman. A near neighbor for two years, often 
at his home, occasionally his companion in his pastoral calls, a constant 
attendant upon his preaching and in his Sunday school and prayer 
meeting, I must needs have received lasting impressions of the man. 



42 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

He was an enthusiast for Christ. His zeal was a consuming fire. He 
never seemed to lose sight of his Leader. His conversation was full of 
soul conversion ; his study, how to save. His pen was ever on the move, 
writing notes to comfort this one ; to entreat, encourage, or warn that 
one. His hand to hand efforts were something remarkable. He attrib- 
uted his success largely to personal work. 

And yet his sermons were much more than ordinary. He was a clear 
thinker, and dressed his thinking in strong yet graceful garments, though 
never covering the cross with rhetoric. His sermons were things to 
think about and often provoked most earnest conversation. He was 
abreast especially of the religious literature of his day, familiarizing him- 
self with the books likely to find their way into his Sunday-school 
library. No doubt he would have been a rare critic of such writing. 

A graduate of Princeton, almost an idolater of Dr. Charles Hodge, 
it is no wonder that he was uncompromisingly Calvinistic. Had he 
been commissioner at Washington last spring or now at Saratoga he 
would have treated, figuratively at least, Professors Briggs and Smith as 
Samuel did Agag. 

This reminds me of his very decided views of the relation of the 
women to the prayer meeting, ?'. e., they must not speak or pray there. 
Alluding to the subject as we were once walking together he sud- 
denly said : " But was not I in a box here at one of our meetings ! 
You see, it was a bad night, dark and rainy. Not a man was there 
but myself. Mrs. Randall was there, however, and a dozen other of 
such saints. They always came. I waited for an elder or two, but 
waited in vain. I rather think the women enjoyed my embarrassment. 
However, I did my usual part, and then a bright thought struck me and 
I said, 'Ladies, we will now consider this a female prayer meeting/ 
Thereupon, I must confess, followed a most delightful meeting, for, 
truth to tell, those women could outpray all my men together." 

There was no chapel at that time as I remember, the prayer meeting 
being held in the church, the Bible or teachers' class in the organ loft 
just before evening service, which Dr. Gregory always attended. 

Socially Dr. Gregory had few superiors. I have seen him enter a 
room lined with women, so to speak. All eyes were turned upon him 
and there would be a felt silence that his manner and conversation might 
be noticed ; and yet without seeming embarrassment he would "swing 
around the circle " with words of interest, sympathy, or bright repartee 
happily suited to each one. I once told him that I envied him his cool- 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 43 

ness and level-headedness. His answer was : " Naturally no bigger 
coward was ever born than Caspar R. Gregory. My knees often tremble 
when I arise to preach. At such times, if I could consistently, I would 
crawl into the nearest convenient hole. Of course I don't let anybody 
know it, though I tell you." 

Dr. Gregory had a rare ear for sacred music. He was proud of his 
choir, and well he might be, with such singers as Miss Nellie Hand, 
Miss Adelaide Soper, Messrs. Randall and Barker, and some others whose 
names escape me, who were not made but born emphatically for a church 
choir — one of whom (perhaps others) has joined the choir above with her 
beloved pastor. 

Your church and Oneida cannot know their indebtedness to this all- 
around man, this lover of flowers and of a refined taste in personal 
apparel, in art, in everything — best of all, lover o x f souls. How I have 
seen the beautiful and constant sympathy of the man in the bereavements 
of his people, in our own great grief over the loss of our firstborn ; 
how he rescued from drowning a poor desperate woman and restored 
her to her husband ; the many walks and talks we've had over the 
interests of the Master's Cause ; the delightful week at his home in Bridge- 
ton, N. J., where he, a pastor of its largest church and overwhelmed 
with work, found or made time to visit ; how last I saw him in Asbury 
Park, N. J., whither he, weary man, had fled from the burden of his 
professorship in Lincoln University ; how a little latter came the sad 
word from Mrs. Gregory : " Husband has gone. His last words were, 
1 Let me rest. I am so weary ' " — these and much more " come to me 
o'er and o'er." Ah, well ! " Servant of God, well done." 

The Lord bless you and your beloved church, and some day "up 

yonder" yourself and Dr. Gregory and the other faithful pastors will be 

able to say, " Here, Lord, are we and the children thou gavest us." 

Fraternally, 

C. W. Livingston. 

1610 Green Street, Philadelphia, June 7, 1894. 
Rev. Dr. Jessup : 

Dear Friend : We are sorry indeed that other engagements make it 
impossible for Mr. Alden and myself to enjoy the anniversary with you. 
I am also sorry that the special pressure of work and care just now upon 
me will prevent my indulging myself in any extended reminiscences of 
the long ago days spent in your pleasant city. 



44 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

The old church and its beloved then pastor, Dr. Gregory, and its 
beloved choir whose leading singer has long been joining in the choir 
above, are among my most vivid memories. When we heard Nellie 
Hand sing, " Oh, that I had Wings like a Dove !" some of us could not 
help thinking that with such a voice the wings must but be hidden, and 
she used them full soon ! 

Aside from the choir and the pulpit, my recollections of the children 
of the church are perhaps the most distinct. Looking backward I find that 
during the intervening thirty years I have had them all stay children, 
and am therefore well nigh bewildered when I come suddenly upon a 
familiar name prefixed by " Professor," or Doctor, or some other title 
betokening years and dignity. And then I remember with a start that the 
years are passing — that I am no longer the giil teacher, Belle MacDonald, 
rooming in the third-story front of Oneida Seminary, but that I have 
actually passed the line of middle age, and that my own son graduated 
yesterday from the University of Pennsylvania, and that a some time 
flaxen-headed, mischievous former pupil of mine in old Oneida received 
at the same time the august title of " Doctor of Laws ! " — and that all 
things, everywhere, have changed ! 

The gray-haired men and women with whom I used to gather in the 
old church at Oneida have many of them long since gone to the other 
country. But some of the young people I knew there are still young, 
because they went early to the land where sight does not dim, nor step 
grow slow, nor hair whiten with the touch of time. 

We who remain reach across the space which intervenes, and touch 

hearts with you in reunion, and ask for you the continued blessing of 

the great Head of the Church, and ask for us all that we may gather 

some blessed summer day to the reunion which will never be marred by 

time. 

Yours sincerely, 

Isabella MacDonald Alden. 

New Hartford, June 10, 1894. 
Rev. Samuel Jessup, D. D.: 

Dear Friend : My memory brings up the pastorate of Mr. Nichols 
very distinctly, and I have been living over the history of the church 
since I knew you were talking of this event, and I find I was asso- 
ciated with its interests from early childhood, as I was only seven years 
old when three or four of us were invited into the choir, standing on 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 45 

stools when we sang, and could hardly hold the tune books, except for 
the wire which supported the little red curtains, which were great fun to 
whisk about. How Mrs. Asel Randall, Mrs. Sands Higinbotham, Mrs. 
Breese, the Hitchcocks, and others used to manage the donation parties 
in the old Empire Hall ! Mrs. Wilbur, the queen of all, would see that 
the decorations were in exact taste. 

The long side pews on either side of the church were well filled. I 
can see them to-day. The Sunday school had some excellent teachers 
— Dr. and Mrs. Fitch, Mr. Fiske, Miss Mahala Turner, Mrs. Randall, 
Mr. Johnson Harvey. I organized the first Primary Sunday school in 
our church, using the side gallery seats, in '59. Mrs. Henrietta Seelye, 
wife of President Seelye of Smith College, helped in gathering the little 
ones in. I well remember when Dr. Gregory requested the church to 
face the pulpit instead of the choir during the singing of the hymns, 
and the arguments which followed. 

I can never forget the prayer meetings held in the vestibule of the 
church, for it was there I gave my heart to the Saviour, but it was dimly 
lighted with only two or three oil lamps, and a square stand was placed 
for the pastor to place his Bible and little brown leather-covered hymn 
book. Then when the organ was bought and Lyman Higinbotham 
asked to be organist, we felt we had made great progress. Rehearsals 
were had at Mrs. Goodwin's, Mrs. Dyer's, Mrs. Mannering's, at my 
father's, anywhere but in the choir gallery, which was never heated, except 
in sumnier time. 

My dear father and mother always held the church near their hearts, 
and it was always their desire to do all in their power to increase its 
interests. 

I am very sincerely your friend, 

A. E. Sherrill. 

Kaysville, Utah, June 5, 1894. 
Rev. Samuel Jessup : 

Dear Brother : Your personal invitation as well as one from the 

Presbyterian Church of Oneida have both been received. I had hoped 

that the way might open by which I could have been present on the 13th 

of June and taken some part in your semi-centennial celebration. I find, 

however, that it will be impossible for me to come East in time. It would 

afford me the greatest pleasure to meet friends whose acquaintance was 

formed twenty-seven years ago. My people came to Oneida in 1867. 



4^ SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

I was then seventeen years of age and had only been a professing Chris- 
tian one year. 

Rev. Dr. Baker was pastor of the church when I joined it. I greatly 
enjoyed him both as a preacher and as a pastor. I wish to say that the 
most precious memories of my life in Oneida are associated with the lec- 
ture room of the old church on Main Street and in connection with the 
young people's meeting on Sunday evening preceding the preaching 
service. I think that it was the influence of those blessed hours which 
led me to think of devoting my life wholly to my Master and in the holy 
ministry of the glorious gospel of reconciliation. I recall with fondest 
recollections my Oneida schoolmates and church associates. There 
were the Hands, the Taylors, the Sopers, the Barnetts, the Rubys, the 
McGregors, the Crawfords, and many others whom it would take too 
much time to mention. I rejoice in both the temporal and the spiritual 
welfare of the Presbyterian Church of Oneida. I thank God for her 
grand history. She has been highly favored in her ministers and 
ruling elders. Such pastors as Robinson and Baker are a glory to any 
church. Such men as Randall and Barker are an honor to any session. 
God bless the present pastor and his session on this anniversary day ! May 
the future of your church far excel the past in all spiritual power and 
glory ! I send Christian and fraternal salutation to all the pastors and 
members of the grand old Presbyterian Church of Oneida ! May the 
Lord's gracious presence be among you to-day in wonderful power, both 
sanctifying and saving all who in any way participate ! God bless you 

one and all ! 

Your co-worker for Christ, 

E. M. Knox. 



Scranton, Pa., June n, 1894. 
My Dear Brother : 

I had hoped to be with you on your great day, but, as I wrote yon, 
circumstances which I could not control have prevented. 

As I think of you, I have in mind a very different congregation 
from the one that now worships in your beautiful church edifice. I 
see faces which are unknown to most of you. I hear voices which have 
been long silent. I need no phonograph to bring to me the voices of 
Mr. Soper, Mr. Taylor, Dr. Fitch, Dr. Loomis, Mrs. Sweatman, and 
many others the thought of whom stirs my heart. I should have to 
visit the cemetery to address the larger part of the congregation to 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 47 

whom I ministered, and call back Mrs. Barker with her starry eyes 
and beautiful voice, and Mr. Barker, faithful unto death, and dear 
Mr. Goodwin, who followed his star, as he used to say, the " bright 
and morning star," from the darkness of his doubt to the full daylight 
under the sun of righteousness. What prayer meetings I recall, when 
Mrs. Sweatman, in her pleading, laid hold of the " horns of the altar," 
when Mr. Turner gave his heart to Christ, and Mr. Randall and Mr. 
Allen and all those beloved faithful fellow-laborers worked with me 
to save souls and build up the Master's kingdom. Those days 
may seem to you now with your larger church and noble building 
like the days of small things, but they were delightful to us, and many 
a time, when the power of God was present to heal, that elongated old 
house, pulled out like the various slides of a spyglass, seemed to me the 
greatest place on earth, and the most beautiful. 

I know not what of the old membership remain, but of this I am per- 
fectly sure, that with all the grand success of the successor of Baker, 
Robinson, Gregory, and Nichols the few will not forget the days of 
prayer and praise I recall. May God bless them, and all those who 
form now the greater church of Oneida. I send my greeting, and bid 
you "all hail." 

Mrs. Robinson joins me in love to you all. 

Affectionately the once pastor, 

Charles E. Robinson. 



Mrs. Theodosia M. Foster, whose pen name, " Faye 
Huntington, " is so familiar, read the following paper recall- 
ing the days of 1858 to 1862, which she had brought out 
from her " Laid Away Memories." 



"LAID AWAY MEMORIES." 

MRS. THEODOSIA M. FOSTER. 

I am sure that I voice the sentiment of very many in this 
assembly in saying that I am especially glad to be here ; 
and doubtless many absent ones are saying, " I wish I were 
there ! " And no doubt many laid away memories are 
brought out to-day as the sons and daughters of this church 
scattered far and wide turn their thoughts to this place. 

The same events and scenes do not make the same 
impression upon different minds — you remember how as 
children we were wont to ask each other, " How large does 
the moon look to you ? " — and the veriest trifles to one 
deeply impress the mind of another. The things which I 
bring out to-day may seem trifling ; they are just a school- 
girl's memories, laid away in a school catalogue, in an 
autograph album, in a sealed journal, in a tiny locket, in a 
bundle of school exercises, yellow with the tinge of age, the 
blue, red, and violet ink affected by sweet sixteen faded 
almost to illegibility. But the memories wrapped away in 
these souvenirs are bright and glowing with the fire of 
immortal youth. 

Thirty years ago or thereabouts there was in your midst 
an institution the full history of which has never been 
written. The story in brief runs something like this : A 
child of the village with thoroughly reliable sponsors, bright 
and beautiful in infancy, giving promise of still more 
wondrous beauty of feature and character, receiving a 
grievous hurt during the first year of its life, — a hurt which 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 49 

crippled, and was doubtless the cause of early death, — yet 
rallying for a time, gathering strength, putting on more of 
beauty, shedding beams of knowledge far out into the sur- 
rounding country, then growing gradually weak and sickly ; 
finally being adopted into a Christian family — but too late ! 
Before the foster parent had fairly taken this weakling 
within its sheltering arms it died ; there was not life enough 
to be nursed back to health and vigor even by such tonics 
as the Mohawk presbytery might have administered. You 
have already surmised that this unfortunate child with the 
surname foremost was Oneida Seminary. 

And, too, you understand that the laid away memories 
which I bring to this feast of reminiscences cluster about 
the pile of brick which still stands in the grove at the corner 
of Elizabeth and Walnut streets in this village. 

Some of you remember the ceremonies of the laying of 
the corner stone and the eloquent address delivered by 
Hon. John Snow. Day after day and week after week you 
watched the walls rising, the finishing of the interior, and 
the laying out of the grounds, and there were those long- 
ing for the opportunities of education of which the building 
held the promise who waited with many a grateful thought 
toward the benefactor, Mr. Higinbotham, who not only 
generously presented the building lot, but otherwise aided 
the enterprise financially. 

In December, 1858, the school opened. To those familiar 
with other moderately priced institutions in those days the 
furnishings seemed superb. The carpets, the curtains, the 
pianos, and the wonderful chapel clock won our admiration, 
but perhaps more than everything else we admired our 
principal ! But alas ! Professor Haggart proved but a 
broken reed. The glory of the first three months of that 
year only made the darkness which followed seem blacker by 



50 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

contrast. Some of us remember the presence of the officers 
of the law, the false alarm and the dreadful outcry, and 
heard the sound of the carriage wheels whirling off in the 
darkness of the rainy night, the professor having escaped 
under cover of the confusion. The young man who drove 
away with the culprit died many years ago, and no one knows 
what became of Mr. Haggart. Rumors that he was a 
colonel in the Civil War, that he was killed by accident, 
have from time to time reached his Oneida acquaintances, 
but I think nothing definite has been heard from him since 
that eventful night when he ran away from his creditors. 

The corps of teachers whom this erratic individual had 
gathered about him were able and accomplished. My first 
knowledge of the science of angles and circles, cones and 
prisms, came to me under the teaching of Professor Seymour 
Adams, at present a successful lawyer of Cleveland, O. Mr. 
Adams was a favorite with his pupils, but I remember he was 
sorely tried with some of us who could never remember 
the scholiums and corrolaries. 

Professor Brockway, now Dr. A. N. Brockway of New 
York, trustee of Hamilton College, and secretary of the 
college Alumni Association, was another teacher much 
admired by those who came under his tuition. Rev. Derby 
Smith, father of Mrs. Alonzo Randall of this village, who 
came to us from New England, was an earnest, faithful 
teacher of natural sciences. His death occurred some years 
since. 

Miss Isabella Mcintosh, later the wife of Rev. Mr. 
Graves, a presiding elder in the M. E. Church, was lady 
principal. She was a woman of great beauty of person and 
character. Associated with her were Miss Petrie, who 
afterward studied medicine and became quite a skillful 
physician, Miss Emilie Brown, now Mrs. Aiken of East 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 5 1 

Saginaw, and Miss Crumb, who still remains in her old home 
at Unadilla Forks. These were all delightful young women. 

During this first disastrous year the Presbyterian element 
was not strong, other denominations being rather in the 
ascendency in the faculty. I remember an incident, how- 
ever, which goes to show that the element did exist among 
the pupils. Upon one occasion the girls of the school 
thought it important that certain views which they held 
should be expressed and transmitted to the trustees. 
Accordingly a meeting was called, and with less knowledge 
of parliamentary rules than some of us now possess, we 
put ourselves on record in a set of resolutions, preamble and 
all. When our beloved Dr. Gregory read them he remarked, 
" It is evident that our Presbyterian girls were prominent 
in this affair ; anyone else would have elected a chairman, 
but they have evidently been reading the reports of General 
Assembly and have chosen a moderator'' 

And this same moderator of that girls' meeting is now in 
this audience, her hair a little whiter than my own, with 
the same irrepressible spirit and the same readiness of 
speech as of old. 

The following autumn the school reopened with Rev. 
Geo. H. Whitney as principal and an entire new corps of 
teachers. Associated with Mr. Whitney was Rev. C. M. 
Livingston. Professor Whitney wrote in an autograph 
album these lines : 

When what thou wiliest has befallen not, still 
This help remains, what has befallen to will. 

And this sentiment has helped over many a hard place. 
Pure-hearted, always a gentleman, loving his work, shed- 
ding a benign and elevating influence, the impression of his 
life and teaching while among us will never wear away. 



52 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

And who does not remember Mr. Livingston's sweet, gentle 
dignity, and how the service of the Lord Jesus Christ was 
his first thought? His intimacy with Dr. Gregory was very 
beautiful, and perhaps the influence of the seminary in the 
affairs of this church first began to be felt when Mr. Living- 
ston took his place as a laborer in this vineyard. In the 
prayer meeting and in the Sunday school his earnest prayers 
and his soul-winning aims will never be forgotten ; and in 
all the years that have passed he has remained the same 
faithful worker. He is at present a pastor at Hyattsville, 
Md. Dr. Whitney has been for many years the honored 
president of Hackettstown Seminary. 

Professor D. G. Lapham, at that time assistant in 
mathematics, is now a lawyer in Canandaigua, N. Y. Miss 
Beckwith, a woman of much dignity and culture, was the 
lady principal. Many will remember that she afterward 
became the wife of Hon. John Snow. She is now a resi- 
dent of Cazenovia, having remarried after the death of Mr. 
Snow. Miss Ledlie, teacher of music, who charmed every- 
body, is now Mrs. Sheffield, and resides in a beautiful home 
on the banks of the Hudson. At this period Miss Isabella 
MacDonald became connected with the seminary. Many 
of you will remember her ; some of you were under her 
charge in the primary department and you will recognize 
her as the wife of Rev. G. R. Alden, D. D., and the author 
of the " Pansy" books. Her popularity makes it unneces- 
sary to speak farther of her. And do any of you remember 
Lizzie Lawrence, that brave-hearted woman who crossed 
the continent to California's shores to meet the man who 
had won her promise to marry him ? We girls thought 
that a great display of faith in man's loyalty and a coura- 
geous undertaking, for the journey was not quite so easy 
then as now. 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. S3 

Dr. Whitney left during his second year to enter upon 
the duties of the pastorate, and Professor Livingston suc- 
ceeded him as principal. It was during this term that the 
reverberating echo of a disloyal gun sounded in our ears 
and the event of the period was the raising of the Stars and 
Stripes. The handsome flag that floated over the seminary 
was made by the deft fingers of the young ladies, and the 
occasion was made notable by patriotic essays and eloquent 
orations. 

About this time the Meletarian Society was at the zenith 
of its glory. I remember the earnest discussion of questions 
upon which the destiny of nations was supposed to hang, 
and I recall the fact that the girls were expected to take 
part in these discussions. That was the first equality club 
of which I have any knowledge ! 

Mr. Livingston having left in order to pursue his theo- 
logical studies, he was succeeded by Rev. E. M. Rollo with 
an army of new teachers, Miss MacDonald only of the former 
teachers remaining. Mr. Rollo was a fine Christian gentle- 
man, sensitive, refined, and gentle, entering into his work with 
a deep feeling of personal responsibility, and ever having the 
best interests of his pupils in mind. He died several years 
ago at Stephentown, N. Y. His daughter will be remem- 
bered as a fine musician and a very interesting young 
woman. She is still teaching music in Albany. During 
Mr. Rollo's stay there were associated with him at different 
periods Professors Heagle, Arnold, Davis, and Blanchard. 
Mr. Davis was afterward connected with the Utica Herald, 
and died early. He was a young man of much promise 
and to many his death seemed untimely. 

Misses Warrinner, Park, Roby, Chatfield, Gaylord, and 
Doty will be remembered by many in Oneida. Miss Roby, 
the same bright little woman with her quaint remarks, lives 



54 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

in Rochester, Miss Chatfield is still making pictures in 
Herkimer, and Miss Doty, now Mrs. Compton, is a success- 
ful teacher in Chicago. Of the others mentioned I have no 
knowledge. 

After this came Professors Horton, Sweet, and Houghton. 
Mr. Houghton has since died. I have not been able to 
learn of the others. 

Oneida Seminary was fortunate in its teachers ; they 
were men and women of culture and refinement, and with 
very few exceptions they were Christian men and women. 
It was no fault of theirs that the school did not prosper ; in 
the educational sense it did prosper, but financial success 
eluded the grasp of everyone who had anything to do with 
the school. And as, unfortunately, the educational life de- 
pended upon the financial, the seminary was at last closed 
for lack of funds to carry forward the enterprise. As a 
final effort to place the school upon a secure foundation an 
attempt was made to put it under the control of the Mohawk 
presbytery, and negotiations were entered into resulting in 
a decision upon the part of that body to take charge of the 
institution, but for some cause which seems to be shrouded 
in obscurity the contract was never carried into effect, and 
the school was permanently discontinued, though Pro- 
fessor Davis for a time conducted a private school in the 
building. 

I have recalled only the teachers, but there is a long list 
of students of whom it would give me pleasure to speak if 
only there were time. The first graduating class in i860 
received their diplomas at the hand of Dr. Whitney. Misses 
Fannie and Lottie Reed, daughters of Rev. E. Reed, who 
had just resigned the charge of the Baptist Church in this 
village, and Miss Nickerson made up the interesting trio. 
Miss Fannie married Rev. W. C. Briggs and died in 1873 at 



OXEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 55 

Blue Rapids. Lottie is the wife of a gentleman of educa- 
tion and culture, and is a contributor to educational 
journals. She resides at Blue Rapids. Of Miss Nickerson's 
career subsequent to her seminary life I have no knowledge. 
The following year the graduating class also numbered 
three. I think that was the only time the commencement 
exercises were held in a public hall. That year they were 
held in Devereux Hall, and I assure you it was a very great 
occasion. My friend Mrs. Addie Soper Sherrill, who was 
one of the class, will corroborate my statement. I recall 
the subject of her essay, " The Harmony of Silence," and 
to those who know her and have watched the development 
of her musical talent will come the thought that she has ever 
since been making harmony in the silences. Mr. Living- 
ston presented the diploma;,, and his earnest words upon 
that occasion have, without doubt, been among the influ- 
ences drawing us heavenward. Of Mary Burleson, the 
third member of the class, I have no information further 
than that she married Rev. Mr. Owens. After that year the 
classes were larger, and many of Oneida's prominent men and 
women were among those who took their degree at the 
old seminary. Among those who were pupils, many have 
by their patient efforts, added to natural ability, written 
success upon their banners. Thus we have Judge Truax, 
Dr. Truax, Lieutenant Commander Barnett, Assistant Audi- 
tor of Northern Pacific T. W. Fitch, Lawyers Brown, 
Tuttle, and Devereux of Oneida, Professors Douglass, 
Downing, and Sturdeyvant, Lawyer J. L. Bennett of New 
York, Professor Hettinger, a successful teacher of Phila- 
delphia, Rev. Wm. Carter, District Attorney M. D. Barnett, 
and millionaire Joseph Armour, founder of the Armour 
Mission Institute, Chicago. The two last named died some 
time since. There might be named a long list of successful 



5 6 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

business men and prominent women, as H. H. Douglass, 
Theo. Hand, Niles Hand, Will Hand, Ambrose Hill, Mary 
Dyer Jackson, Kate Stewart Warr, Nana Toll, Alice Frost 
Loomis, Fannie Farnham Selkregg — the sweet singers 
Minnie Brown Davidson and Florence Taft Jackson. 

Then there is a long list of promoted members, those 
whose names we speak with a touch of sadness and of rever- 
ence — so many died young : fair-faced Nellie Frost and 
Florence Loomis Stark, Nellie Hand Barker with her sur- 
passing beauty and glorious voice, bright Helen Hitchcock, 
Fannie Reed Briggs with her brilliant intellect ; and of a 
merry group always associated together : Elma Berry Stone 
and Delia Kilts Sturdeyvant, Anna Frost, Sarah Douglass, 
and the artist soul Sarah Dodge, Melissa Randall Turner, 
Hattie Smith, and the three sweet singers Julia Dyer, 
Mattie Reed, and Angie Snow, John and Theodore 
Sturdeyvant, Barton Harvey and John Stewart, James 
Devereux, Frank McElroy, and Fred Rollo. These are 
only a few names which I have been able to recall of a long 
list. 

What have these memories to do with this day when the 
Presbyterian Church of Oneida recalls its past, and traces 
the way along which the Lord has led ? As we look over 
this assembly here are officers of the church, — those who 
have long been the burden-bearers, those who are the 
spiritual strength of the church, those who have held promi- 
nent places in the choir, — and their names are in the 
printed catalogues of the old seminary ; and many of the 
members of this church who have gone on before were 
named in- the same lists. Many whose voices are heard in 
the prayer meetings first learned to pray in public in the 
seminary prayer meetings, and some no doubt learned 
the way of life from the lips of the teachers in that old 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 57 

institution. Many of us took in new thoughts of God and 
his ways, to many of us life became broader and more 
beautiful, fuller of opportunities, and some found their life 
calling through the pointing of those under whose influence 
they came. The seminary a failure ! Nay, rather a grand 
success ! While we mourn that its career was so soon ended, 
we thank God for the years of its existence ; we thank him 
for the wise-hearted Christian men and women who came as 
teachers, leaving among us ennobling thoughts ; for the 
sweet singers, for those who with skilled touch caused key 
and chord to give out harmonies that thrilled the soul ; we 
thank him for the artist souls who taught us how to find 
beauty where only an artist's eye could discover it ; we 
thank him for those who pointed the way to Christ ; and 
reverently we say of Oneida Seminary, " Being dead, yet 
speaking." 



REMINISCENCE. 

rev. william s. carter. 

Dear Pastor and People : 

My heart is quick to rejoice with you in this signal event 
of the years. Fifty years of church life ! What a con- 
summation ! We can number the years. Can we measure 
them ? Hopes and fears ; griefs and comforts ; afflictions 
and consolations ; life and death. What a commingling ! 
How easy it is to cry to-day : Precious memories are 
hurrying up into thought. This is a glad, sad, quickening 
commemoration. 

There is more water than land in the world. Some may 
think that the proportion holds good in human life between 
tears and laughter. Yet may we not all believe as we think 
back through the years that : 

God's ichor fills the hearts that bleed, 
And in the wounds our sufferings plow 
Immortal love sows sovereign seed. 

I can remember twenty-five of the fifty years. Dream 
years, real years ! Boyhood and early manhood. I think 
that my boyhood must have been at the transition period of 
this church life, at the time it was passing out of its first 
quarter into its second quarter. The contrast to-day is 
significant. To-day the church has a well-organized, vigor- 
ous, and efficient Christian Endeavor Society. We had 
no such thing twenty years ago. We were good enough to 
have it then ; you will acknowledge that. But what you 

58 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 59 

enjoy to-day you owe largely to the past. I remember 
how we tried to organize a Young People's Association. 
Some of us boys and young men met in the session room of 
the old church. Wishing and praying and clasping hands, 
we determined to organize. Then shortly after some of the 
young men and women met at a private house, and quickened 
by the presence and suggestions of Pastor Jessup, we 
formally organized what has since been transformed into 
the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor. 

The whole church life has, I think, been transformed 
since then, and through it all Pastor Jessup has passed 
patiently, faithfully, and efficiently, himself transformed 
from a plain preacher into a doctor of divinity. 

Many of my quickening memories attach to that beloved 
personality. For he it was who first led me to Christ. No, 
not he, but my sainted mother ! Her words and prayers 
did that. But Pastor Jessup led me to the session. He 
first administered the sacrament of the Lord's Supper to me. 
And to him I am indebted for many wise words, cautions 
and suggestions which at first I did not fully appreciate, but 
now value highly. But my memory centers not in this new 
church edifice. I think of the old church, the dear old 
white church ! — not so white as it might have been, perhaps. 
It did need a little scrubbing within and without, but what 
of that ? No preaching ever seemed better than that of the 
old pulpit's utterance. No Sabbath school since then has 
seemed quite like that of the old church. No church bell 
ever sounded more sweetly to me than that of the old 
church tower — especially when it rang the glad news that 
the sun was shining and it was all right for the picnic ! 
But the old church has been removed ; a fine new structure 
is in its place — a bank building of splendid proportions for 
the laying up of treasures on earth. Yes, but the dear old 



60 SEMT-CENTENN'IAL. 

church was for the laying up of treasures in heaven ! Ah, 
Time, we may larugh at you to-day. You can demolish 
structures, but you cannot demolish memories ! 

Young men and women, be strong for this church of God 
and loyal to it. Place within it a reason for many precious 
memories for the future's retrospect. And may the dear 
Lord of life who has so graciously led us up to this present 
time still lead us on until he calls us home ! 



ADDRESS. 

REV. ELIOT H. PAYSON. 

Rev. Eliot H. Payson, speaking for " The Aged of the 
Church," said : 

" I feel somewhat embarrassed over my subject, for if Dr. 
Jessup meant that I was to talk as a representative of the 
aged in the church, he was mistaken in the man, for I lack 
two months of being eighty-six years of age, and no man 
is aged until he is eighty-six. If he meant that I was to 
speak to the aged in the church, I cannot do it, as I see no 
one here who is aged except my good friend the venerable 
Dr. Loomis, and I don't need to talk to him — he's good 
enough without it. I am not here to make a speech ; my 
speech-making days, such as they were, are past. I am 
here to extend my personal greetings and hearty congratu- 
lations that you have rounded out the first fifty years so 
successfully. 

" You are here to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the 
organization of this church, and you may think that that is 
very old, but fifty years come very soon. I became a 
resident of Madison County seventy-nine years ago, coming 
from the State of Massachusetts, where all the great and 
good men come from. Forty-nine years ago I returned to 
this section, after an absence of several years, as a minister 
of the gospel, and became connected with what is now the 
Utica presbytery." 

After speaking of the different pastors of the church and 
their work Mr. Payson said that they were all successful, 

61 



62 SEMI-CENTENNIAL. 

and all except Mr. Nichols, he probably being prevented 
only by an early death, had become doctors of divinity and 
had proved themselves worthy of the distinguished honor 
and high dignity to which they had attained. 

"But the success of the church was due also to the fact 
that she had always had an able and faithful session. I speak 
more especially of those who are deceased. I cannot re- 
frain from speaking particularly of William H. Carter, 
Robert Stewart, and Goodwin P. Soper, all good and faith- 
ful men whose work rounded up so auspiciously. 

" You are now about to step off into the next half century. 
The question which must press itself home at this time is, 
What shall the record of the next half century be ? Your 
individual efforts must tell, but I believe that in fifty years 
to come this church will be much more prosperous than in 
the fifty years that are past. In the absence of Dr. Hudson, 
who was to represent the presbytery, it may not be out of 
place for me to extend the hearty congratulations of that 
body, of which I have been a member for so many years. 
May God's blessing attend the varied work entered upon by 
this church, and when we are all gathered together on the 
other side we will together sing the praises of Him who has 
redeemed us with his most precious blood ! M 

The church was well filled in the evening to listen to Rev. 
George D. Baker, D. D., of Philadelphia, the immediate 
predecessor of Dr. Jessup in the pastorate of this church. 
The evening Scripture lesson was read by Rev. Albert 
Bacon Sears, pastor of the Baptist Church, and prayer was 
offered by Rev. William H. York, pastor of the Methodist 
Church. Dr. Baker took for his subject, " Memory's Night," 
and spoke substantially as follows : 



ADDRESS. 

REV. DR. BAKER. 

It is related of the great Duke of Wellington that in his 
last years, when honors were thick upon him, he revisited the 
school where as a boy he had studied, and as he looked at 
the familiar scenes his eyes filled with tears and he said, " It 
was here that Waterloo was won." If we could to-night 
gather here all those who would say that it was here that the 
great question of their lives was solved, what a company that 
would be ! They would come from the north, south, east, 
and west, and many of them would come down through the 
shining portals of the heavenly city, for it is memory's 
night. I am not to be excused to-night because I do not 
form a part of the late history of this church, for those who 
live in the past are the ones to-day whose voices we have 
most gladly heard. I do not need, and many of you do not 
need to-night, the photograph to bring up the faces of those 
that in years gone by were seen in the old church yonder. 
And it is at the old church that my mind is to-night. How 
well I remember my first sermon from that pulpit, and how 
well I remember my installation, when the sermon was 
preached by the saintly and now sainted .man Dr. Condit ! 
He preached from the text, " Hinder me not," and the peo- 
ple never hindered me ; they helped me. Reference was 
made in many of the letters to-day to the singing, and I 
want to add my word and say that, although I have heard 
much church singing since then, I have never heard singing 
that went deep down into my heart as that of the old choir, 

63 



64 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

and that sweetest singer that I ever knew, that gentle woman 
so early called home. It was in the morning twilight that 
the message was brought to me that she was passing away, 
and hastening to her bedside, I saw the dear light fade from 
her beautiful eyes, and her soul took its passage to a brighter 
hereafter. Her husband lived for many years after, but he 
was never the same, and yet this eloquent testimony is 
given of him : that he was faithful unto the end. Much was 
said this afternoon about the pastors, but I want to tell you 
that it is in her eldership that this church has been abun- 
dantly blessed. Again, this church has been blessed won- 
derfully in that no trash has been preached in its pulpit. 
Seneca, in one of his essays, makes his pilot say, " O Nep- 
tune, you may sink me or you may save me, but I'll keep 
my rudder true." The rudder has been kept true in this 
church during all these fifty years, and it is not strange that 
God has given it his abundant blessing. This church is 
especially rich in its dead, and we refuse to be separated 
from them. Mrs. Charles Kingsley had placed upon the 
tombstone of her husband the words, " Amavimus, amamus, 
amabimus" — we have loved, we do love, we shall love. So 
with reference to those who have gone from us. We have 
loved them, we do love them, and we shall love them. One 
of the happiest experiences of a man's life is that he .has in 
coming back to an old home and looking into the faces that 
he has not seen in many years and finding that time has not 
touched and cannot change the affections, that there is 
still that old love that existed when we were pastor and 
people ; to come back and find that time which crumbles 
marble and eats brass does not touch human love which is 
in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Much has been said to-day 
about those who are gone, but it is not for you to live in 
the past. Christ lives, forward. You have received a 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 65 

goodly heritage : carry it forward so that those that you 
leave it to shall find it the same true, loyal church that it has 
been through all these years. To-night, it seems to me, is 
but a foretaste of the blessed reunion by and by when we 
shall talk of the sweet days of fellowship and thank one 
another for what we have been to each other. 

Following Dr. Baker the pastor announced that over 
seven hundred dollars had been raised as a memorial offer- 
ing to be devoted to the building of the north side chapel. 
He then said : 



PASTOR'S REMARKS. 

I have feared that some things would be omitted that 
ought to be said to-day, but Dr. Baker has so far relieved 
my mind that I will only remind you that we are celebrating 
the history of the church and not of its pastors. The pas- 
tors of this church have been only a part of its life. The 
church members chiefly have made it what it is. I have 
always been thankful for the rich legacy Dr. Baker left me 
in the membership, and I would not have you forget how 
much we owe to the elders who have served us. Tender 
memories cluster around the names of Elders Robert Stew- 
art, Goodwin P. Soper, Wm. H. Carter, and Wayne Barker, 
and others who have been examples of Godliness and faith- 
ful unto death in religious service. I must also say, in jus- 
tice to those who have managed our business affairs, that 
much of the blessings we recall to-day is due to the careful 
attention our business men have given to the business 
department of the church. Above all, we are not to forget 
that we owe it to the grace of God that we are able to recall 
to-day so much of blessed memory. 

CLOSING SERVICE. 

The pastor then invited the members of the church and 
congregation and invited guests to remain for the reception. 
" Old Coronation " was sung with spirit, and Dr. Baker pro- 
nounced the benediction. 

RECEPTION. 

The reception that followed was a delightful reunion. 
The rooms of the chapel were made attractive with home 

66 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 67 

furnishings, light refreshments were served, and the day 
closed with a general expression of satisfaction and enjoy- 
ment. 



The committee acknowledges its indebtedness to the 
excellent reports found in the village papers, particularly 
the Oneida Dispatch. 



LIST OF ELDERS, 

WITH DATE OF INSTALLATION. 

David Blackman, June 13, 1844. Resigned September 2, 
1849. 

Heman Phelps, June 13, 1844. Dismissed April 3, 185 1. 
James Stewart, June 13, 1844. Resigned November 5, 

1855. 

Jeremiah Cooper, June 13, 1844. Retired October 8, 

1855. 

Charles L. Gardner, June 13, 1844. Resigned Febru- 
ary 2, 1850. 

James McFarland, December 1, 1849. Dismissed April 3, 
1851. 

Garrett L. Van Brocklin, March 1, 1850. Resigned 
November 5, 1855. 

Robert J. Stewart, April 11, 1854. Died November 20, 
1882. 

Nathan B. Wilber, April it, 1854. Elected, was not 
ordained. 

Earl Loomis, April 28, 1856. Elected, was not ordained. 

Johnson Harvey, May 22, 1856. Dismissed April 2, 1865. 

Josiah Simons, April 19, 1857. Dismissed December, 

1857. 

Alonzo Randall, October 26, 1859. 

Seymour E. Douglass, October 26, 1859. Dismissed 
1868. 

Charles H. Eames, October 26, 1859. Died October 3, 
1861. 

68 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 69 

Goodwin P. Soper, March 20, 1864. Died December 10, 
1888. 

A. Wayne Barker, July 26, 1868. Died November 1, 1891. 

Myron M. Allen, September 5, 1873. 

Jacob Winnie, September 5, 1873. 

William H. Carter, November 29, 1878. Died Febru- 
ary 12, 1881. 

Ambrose W. Hill, November 29, 1878. 

Eiverton C. Stark, September 4, 1884. 

Charles B. Cowles, September 4, 1884. 

Richard B. Ruby, September 4, 1884. 

Miles Upson, September 4, 1884. 

William M. Baker, June 5, 1891. 

Julius J. Smith, June 5, 1891. 



LIST OF TRUSTEES. 

Since the organization of this church the following per- 
sons have served as trustees : 

James Stewart, elected March, 1844. 
Jeremiah Cooper, elected March, 1844. 
Stephen H. Goodwin, elected March, 1844. 
David A. Parkill, elected February, 1845. 
Niles Higinbotham, elected February, 1846. 
Garrett L. Van Brocklin, elected February, 1847. 
Simon P. New, elected February, 1848. 
N. B. Wilber, elected February, 1852. 
Isaac C. Sherman, elected February, 1855. 
Earl Loomis, elected February, 1856. 
Jared W. Fitch, elected February, 1856. 
Robert J. Stewart, elected February, 1857. 
Goodwin P. Soper, elected February, 1857. 
T. Jefferson Randall, elected February, 1858. 
David H. Walrath, elected February, 1859. 
Niles Higinbotham, elected February, 186 1. 
Dr. Elliott Jacobs, elected February, 1864. 
Joseph L. Taylor, elected February, 1865. 
Alonzo Randall, elected February, 1866. 
Dr. Edward Loomis, elected February, 1867. 
Dewitt C. Stephens, elected February, 1868. 
John Crawford, elected February, 1869. 
A. Wayne Barker, elected February, 1870. 
James Barnette, elected February, 187 1. 
Allen R. Turner, elected February, 1873. 

70 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 7 1 

Elverton C. Stark, elected February, 1874. 
Roswell B. Downing, elected February, 1875. 
Theodore F. Hand, Jr., elected February, 1876; 
A. P. Cleveland, elected February, 1877. 
Richard B. Ruby, elected February, 1878. 
William H. Carter, elected February, 1879. 
Ambrose \V. Hill, elected February, 1880. 
Hiram L. Rockwell, elected February, 1881. 
Walter E. Northrup, elected February, 1882. 
Wilber F. Leete, elected February, 1883. 
Herbert H. Douglass, elected February, 1884. 
Allen S. Whitman, elected February, 1888. 
William E. Hazeltine, elected February, 1889. 
Seth D. Baldwin, elected February, 189c. 
Samuel A. Maxon, elected February, 1891. 
Roswell B. Downing, elected February, 1892. 
Seth D. Baldwin, elected February, 1893. 
Brewster S. Brown, elected February, 1894. 



CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS. 

Sunday School. 

Home Department of Sunday School. 

Woman's Missionary Society. 

King's Messengers. 

Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor. 

North Side Sunday School. 

Willing Workers : A number of young women who are 
engaged in conducting an industrial school. 

Linen Committee :' An organization of young ladies who 
make linen and other useful and decorative articles for sale, 
and devote the proceeds to benevolent and church purposes. 



72 



PROGRAMME OF CHURCH SERVICES. 

ON SABBATH. 

Morning Worship, 10.30. 

Evening Worship, 7 o'clock from October to May, 7.30 
from May to October. 

Sunday School, 12 M. 

North Side Sunday School, 3 p. m. 

Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, 6 o'clock 
from October to May, 6.30 from May to October. 

The sacrament of the Lord's Supper is administered on 
the first Sabbath of the months of December, March, June, 
and September. At this service new members are received 
and baptism is administered. 

ON WEEK DAYS. 

Prayer Meeting, Thursday, 7.30 p. m. 

Teachers' Meeting, Thursday, 8.30 p. m. 

Preparatory Lecture and Session Meeting, Friday preced- 
ing communion, 7.30 p. M. 

Woman's Missionary Society, first Monday of each month, 
3 p- m. 

King's Messengers, first Saturday after first Monday of 
each month, 3 p. m. 

Industrial School, Saturday, 3 p. m. 

Y. P. S. C. E. Business Meeting, second Tuesday follow- 
ing Consecration Meeting, 7.30 p. m. 

Annual Meeting of the Church Society, first Monday 
evening of February. 

73 



ROLL OF CHURCH MEMBERS. 

Abbott, Newell J Oneida, N. Y. 

Abbott, Mrs. Mercy E 

Albrecht, J. Robert H •■ 

Allen, Myron M Onondaga Valley, N. Y, 

Anient, Edward P Oneida, N. Y. 

Anient, Mrs. Mary A 4 ' 

Arnold, Emma J 

Ash, Mrs. Harriett 

Ash, Elizabeth M " 

Ash, Edna Harriett " 

Ashteneau, Mrs Julia Adelle " 

Atherly, Mrs. Charlotte L Syracuse, N. Y. 

Atherly, Blanche B " 

Ayers, Joseph C. . . Oneida, N. Y. 

Ayers, Mrs. Xarifa H 

Ament, Mrs. Eva 

Ament, Ida M " 

Angell, Mrs. Libbie L " 

Armstrong, Chas. Henry Columbus, O. 

Allen, Mrs. Fidelia Oneida, N. Y. 

Allen, Mrs. Louise M 

Austin, Lucy Julia 

Adams, Elbert C 

Adams, Mrs. Jennie M 

Abbott, Mrs. Nancy S 

Bailey, Mrs. Martha A 

Baker, William Mattison 

Baker, Mrs. Fannie E 

Baker, Mrs. Anna E Albany, N. Y. 

Brown, Mrs. Thankful M Oneida, N. Y. 

Brown, Mrs. Martha L " 

- 74 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 



75 



Brown, Mrs. Frances E . Oneida, N. Y. 

Bull, Mrs. Juliet " 

Bull, Georgiana " 

Badger, James B Denver, Col. 

Bush, Mrs. Clara J Oneida, N. Y. 

Broadrick, Alice S " 

Beliski, Pauline Utica, N. Y. 

Bligh, Mrs. Milton D Oneida, N. Y. 

Barton, Florence Irene " 

Butler, Edith Louise " 

Butler, Wm. Henry Albany, N. Y. 

Butler, Mrs. Cora B " 

Boyle, Mrs, Joseph Oneida, N. Y. 

Birdseye, Mrs. Ellen " 

Birdseye, May Agnes " 

Birdseye, Bessie Emily " 

Burrell, Mrs. Mary ^Yoods Camden, N. Y. 

Bulger, Mrs. Emma Oneida, N. Y. 

Brewer, James E 

Brewer, Mrs. Clarissa S 

Bell, Mrs. Catherine 

Broga, Mrs. Ellen 

Button, Flaville Sperry Pulaski City, Ya. 

Blake, Margaret Oneida, N. Y. 

Bonney, Mrs. Louisa 

Bonney, Nelson P 

Bonney, Margaretta 

Baldwin, Seth D 

Baldwin, Mrs. Henrietta A 

Baldwin, Howard L 

Barker, Henrietta 

Barker, Nellie 

Bassett, Mrs. Emogene 

Bassett, Sarah Adelle 

Bates, Mrs. Caroline 

Bertram, Mrs. Carrie Deveraux 

Bennett, Mrs. Maria Durhamville, N. Y. 

Bennett, Marion M " 

Bentley, Mrs. Margaret S Oneida, N. Y. 



76 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

Bell, Homer Daniel Youngstown, O. 

Black, Mrs. Christie. . ■ " 

Black, Sarah Ella " 

Black, Daniel G " 

Bort, Mrs. Eliza Central Square, N. Y 

Boyne, William Oneida, N. Y. 

Branner, Mrs. Susan D Palo Alto, Cal. 

Baldwin, Everett J Oneida, N. Y. 

Baldwin, Mrs. Everett J " 

Ballard, Mrs. Lina Louise Buffalo, N. Y. 

Carpenter, Mrs. Emma Louise Oneida, N. Y. 

Carlton, John W " 

Chapin, Mrs. Hannah D " 

Chapin, Julia Jackson " 

Chapin, Mrs. Ada F " 

Chase, Mrs. Frances C Sidney, N. Y. 

Chase, Susan F Oneida, N. Y. 

Chapman, Albert G li 

Chapman, Horatio Seymour " 

Chapman, Mrs. Mary Amelia <l 

Chaffee, Mrs. Catherine Clockville, N . Y. 

Chaffee, Madge E " 

Clark, William A Oneida, N. Y. 

Clark, Mrs. Dora Biebow . " 

Clark, Richard Rudolph Denver, Col. 

Clark, Mrs. May B. " 

Clark, Adeline M Oneida, N. Y. 

Clark, Mrs. Ida May Canastota, N. Y. 

Clark, Mrs. Florence A Oneida, N. Y. 

Cody, Mrs. Frances G. . " 

Cowles, Chas. B " 

Crawford, John " 

Crawford, Mrs. Emeline " 

Currie, Mrs. Mary Yonkers, N. Y. 

Currie, Herbert W " 

Curtis, Mrs. Jane E Oneida, N. Y. 

Colyer, Mrs. Emma C " 

Cole, Mrs. Elmer " 




ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 



77 



Cole, Mrs. Julia Oneida, N. Y. 

Cramp, Mrs. Eliza 

Compton, Mrs. Lottie L 

Coyle, Mrs. Martha 

Cowarden, Mrs. Agnes E 

Crumb, Mrs. Addie 

Chapman, Mrs. Esther Emma 

Davis, Frederick G „ 

Davis, Mrs. Margaret 

Davis, Mrs. Adelia 

Doty, Julia L , New York City. 

Daniels, Lottie C East Orange, N. J. 

Daniels, Cora E Brooklyn, N. Y. 

Douglass, Herbert H Oneida, N. Y. 

Douglass, Mrs. Jennie S 

Douglass, Herbert Lee. .% 

Douglass, Grace 

Douglass, Mrs. Edna Isabella 

Downing, Roswell B 

Downing, Mrs. Amelia M. B 

Downing, Stella A 

Downing, Nellie , 

Dow, Mrs. Loretta Bath-on- Hudson, N. Y. 

Dodge, Mrs. Sarah D Oneida, N. Y. 

Doxtader, David H a 

Doxtader, Mrs. Helen 

Doxtader, Henry B 

Dunbar, Delos 

Dunning, Amos 

Dunning, Mrs. Amanda 

Drake, Mrs. Ella T 

Duff, Mrs. Henrietta A 

Dickson, Jacob 

Dickson, Mrs. Lora Morse 

Dickson, Wm. Henry 

Dickson, Mrs. Addie 

Dyer, Cordelia R Newburgh, N. Y. 

Dyer, Mrs. Clara S " 



7 8 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

Dyer, Willie B Newburgh, N. Y. 

DeKing, Mrs. Ellen Louise Oneida, N. Y. 

Douglass, Lillie May " " 

Edwards, Mrs. Margaret Buffalo, N. Y. 

Edwards, Mrs. Fannie E Rome, N. Y. 

Evans, Ida Oneida, N. Y. 

Evans, Alfred 

Evans, Mrs. Lucelia. . . Savannah, N. Y. 

Eldred, Mrs. Martha L Beloit, Wis. 

Evans, John Owen Oneida, N. Y. 

Evans, Mrs. Mary Hawley 

Farnam, Mrs. Anna A " 

Farnam, Maude Edna " 

Fagan, Mrs. Mary Jane Syracuse, N. Y. 

Ferguson, Almira -. Oneida, N. Y. 

Ferguson, Ella Young " 

Fearon, Mrs. Anna C " - 

Fitch. Mrs. Adeline " 

Fitch, Addie E " 

Fitch, Mrs. Helen Wheeler " 

Fish, Mrs. Jennie M 

Fish, Ellen T. 

Fleishman, William H 

Fleishman, Mrs. Jane 

Foster, Mrs. Electa M 

Foster, Mary A 

Fien, Mrs. Dora 

Foland, Chas. G 

Foland, Mrs. Marian 

Foote, John T 

Foote, Clara E " 

French, Harriet Rochester, N. Y. 

French, Mrs. Mary D Oneida, N. Y. 

Franks, O. G Kenosha, Wis. 

Franks, Mrs. O. G " 

Faulkner, Mrs. Cora L. Hess Oneida, N. Y. 

Faulkner, Frankie B " 



t ( 



i t 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 



79 



Farnam, Mrs. Ada G Oneida, N. Y. 

Farnam, Mrs. Sarah L " " 

Faulkner, Mrs. Sarah Emma " " 

Faulkner, James Vernon " 



Faulkner, Bessie Mabel 



Gray, Mrs. Helen A " " 

Gray, Nellie M " 

Gray, Anna Clarissa " 

Green, Willis L Hamilton, N. Y. 

George, Mrs. Liliie N Oneida, N. Y. 

Gaul, Mrs. Elizabeth " 

Gomph, John Philip Utica, N. Y. 



Hazeltine, Sarah Malinda , Oneida, N. Y. 

Hazeltine, William Elliott 

Hazeltine, Mrs. Minnie E " 

Hand, Theodore F., Sr. " 

Hand, Mrs. J. Pauline 

Hand, Elizabeth 

Hard, Henry D. " 

Hard, Mrs. Linda W " 

Hard, Mrs. Emma 

Hard, Carolyn Glyde " 

Hatch, Dennison : " 

Hatch, Mrs. Lucy A. . " 

Hatch, Mrs. Harriet G 

Hay, John S " 

Hay, Mrs. Susan 4 4 

Hay, Arthur " 

Hay, Mrs. Helen D. E " 

Heard , Grace " 

Higinbotham, Mrs. Mary " 

Hill, Mrs. Ellen M " 

Hill, Mrs. LoisG " 

Hill, Ambrose W " 

Hill, Mrs. Helen G " 

Hill, Eva " 

Hitter, Anna Catherine " 



8o 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 



Holden, Mrs. Kate Oneida, N. Y. 

Holden, Katie Louise fc . 

Holden, Nellie Lucinda- 

» 

Holden, Emma 

Hope, Mrs. Euphemia Jane 

Hope, Catherine S 

Hope, Herbert Earl Oneida, N. Y. 

Hovey, Mrs. Nellie M Chicago, 111. 

Hollenbeck, Sullivan D Oneida, N. Y. 

Hollenbeck, Mrs. Leora Jane 

Hollenbeck, Charlena 

Hurd, Mrs. Sophronia B 

Hurd, Sarah 

Hurd, Clara 

Hurd, Nettie 

Hurd, Sophronia 

Holmes, Kate Pittsfield, Mass. 

Howard, Mrs. Eliza Oneida, N. Y. 

Howard, Elva 

Hodges, Mrs. Alice A 

Huntley, Mrs. Nettie Wood 

House, Jennie S 

Hallagan, J. Irving 

Hallagan, Mrs. Hattie M 

Harris, Joella E Canastota, N. Y. 

Haight, Leah May Oneida, N. Y. 



Isbell, Mrs. Flora A 
lies, Charlotte May. 



Jackson, Mrs. Mary D " 

Jacobs, Katie E Albany, N. Y. 

Jenkins, James B Oneida, N. Y. 

Jenkins, Mrs. Carrie A. . ., " 

Jessup, Mrs. Caroline E " 

Jessup, Geo. P New Dorp, S. I. 

Jessup, Mary R Oneida, N. Y. 

Jones, Winfield S Buffalo, N. Y. 

Johnson, Lewis Oneida, N. Y. 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. 



81 



Jones, Mrs. Matilda Bridgewater, N. Y, 

Jones, Mrs. Carrie E Oneida, N. Y. 

Jenny, William T . " 

Jermy, Mrs. Susie S * 4 

Jennings, Frank W 

Jennings, Mrs. Julia C " 

Kennedy , John M ' * 

Kennedy, Mrs. Phoebe " 

Kennedy, Frank G Geneva, N. Y. 

Kenyon, Mrs. Helen Oneida, N. Y. 

Kenfield, Minnie A " 

Kenfield, Nellie Caroline " 

Kilbourn, Mrs. Lucinda " 

Kimmey, Mrs. Elizabeth Ackerman Bridgeport, N. Y. 

Klock, Mrs. Alma A Oneida, N. Y. 

Klock, Martha Frances " 

Klock, Grace " 

Klock, Alma Louise 

Klock, Frank P " 

Klock, Mrs. Lottie A 

Klock, Mrs. Mary E Wampsville, N. 

Klock, Helena Miller Oneida, N. Y. 

Kirkpatrick, Geo. E Oneida, N. Y. 

Kirkpatrick, Mrs. Florence II " " 



Lasher, Mary 

Lasher, Sophia D l ' 

Lawrence, Mrs. Elizabeth " 

Leete, Wilber F " 

Leete, Mrs. Antoinnette Church " 

Leete, William Church Syracuse, N. Y. 

Leete, Wilfred Athur Oneida, N. Y. 

Leete, Mrs. Rosella A " 

Lindsley, Mrs. Mary Annette " 

Lindsley, Willard Bailey New York City 

Lindsley, Alice M Oneida, N. Y. 

Lindsley, Maud A " 

Lindsley, Grace R ' ' 



82 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 



Lipe, Mrs. Jane M Oneida, N. Y. 

Lochner, Conrad " 

Loomis, Edward " •' 

Loomis, Mrs. Jane A " " 

Loomis, Mrs. Eliza C Jackson, Mich. 

Loucks,' Mrs. Melissa C Oneida, N. Y. 

Lounsberry, Mrs. Kate E 

Lynk, Jacob W 

Loomis, Geo. H 

Loomis, Mrs. Aurelia M 

Leask, John 

Leask, Mrs. Ellen 

Ladd, Maud L 

Ladd, Ida A 

Lyle, Jessie C 

Lighthall, Mrs. Agnes 



Morgan, Mrs. May B Albany, N. Y. 

Mannering, Hollis Syracuse, N. Y. 

Marshall, Hezekiah Oneida, N. Y. 

Marshall, Mrs. Lora J " 

Markham, Mrs. Hattie Louise Dayton, O. 

Mathewson, Mrs. Anna S Hamilton, Nev. 

Maxwell, John Oneida, N. Y. 

Maxwell, Mrs. Frances A , " " 

Mayne, Mrs. Mary 

McQuien, Fred E New York City. 

Miller, Augusta Oneida, N. Y. 

Mirick, Mrs. Catherine " 

Mirick, Nellie " 

Morris, Mrs. Gracie Merrillsville, N. Y. 

Morse, Gertrude Wannetta Oneida, N. Y. 

Munroe, Anthony B " 

Munroe, Mrs. Louise M . . .' " 

Munroe, Mrs. Barbara M 

Merrell, Mrs. Betsy 

Merrell, Willard. " 

Mixter, Elizabeth Elizabeth, N. J. 

Mulvihill, William Oneida, N. Y. 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. %3 

Mulvihill, Mrs. Emily Oneida, N. Y. 

Maloney, Mabel Agnes " 

Morrell, Mrs. Maria L " 

Marcy, Theo. A Rome, N. Y. . 

Myers, Mrs. Minnie S Oneida, N. Y, 

McCurdy, Alice New York City. 

Marquis, Chas. F Oneida, N. Y. . 

Menzie, Mrs. Frances B " " 

Melvin, Mrs. Mary Jane " 

Munz, Mrs. Elizabeth " 

Munz, Carrie A " 

Munz, Lena May " " 

Munz, Gertrude L " 

Murty, Mrs. Frances Lillian " " 

McGovvan, Mrs, Carrie M " 

McXair, Mrs. Sarah " 

Neir, Mary " 

Naumann, Mrs. Kate ' 4 

Niles, Chas. H....? il 

Niles, Mrs. Addie ,€ 

Niles, Frank E " 

Xiles, Mrs. Adelia E ' " 

Niles, James H " '* 

Niles, Mrs. Katie C ll 

Noble, Everett B " 

Noble, Mrs. Nellie C " 

Northrup, Mrs. Minnie " 

Northrup, \Yalter Irving " " 

Northrup, Hattie E " 

Neupert, Mrs. Eva H Buffalo, N. Y. 

New, Mrs. Mary R Oneida, N. Y. 

New, Arthur J " 

Newcomb, Mrs. Magdalene Ellisburgh, N. Y. 

Noble, Mrs. Joanna Oneida, N. Y. 

Nash, Mrs. Hattie E " 

Ostrander, Mrs. Elizabeth E 

Ostrander, Anna E 



84 SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 

Ogden, Mrs. C. A Oneida, N. Y. 

Orcutt, Carrie Adell ■ " 

Orr, Mrs. Elizabeth North Platte, Neb. 

Park, Chas. B Syracuse, N. Y. 

Park, Mrs. Ruby J " 

Park, Henry D Oneida, N. Y. 

Park, J. Edwin " 

Parsons, Chas. H " 

Parsons, Mrs. Abbie L 

Peebles, Carrie E Madison, N. Y. 

Payson, Mrs. Lucinda Whitesboro, N. Y. 

Payson, Elliot R New Brunswick, N. J. 

Payson, Mary L Oneida, N. Y. 

Payne, Mrs. Jennie Owen " 

Porter, Susie Mariette 

Page, Mrs. Cynthia E " 

Page, Ada H " 

Pendorf, Wm. Leo " 

Pendorf , Mrs. Emma H 

Parker, Mrs. Clara G 4< 

Parker, Clara A " 

Proctor, Robert H " 

Proctor, Mrs. Mary S. D 

Proctor, Nellie May 

Phillips, Frances M " 

Phillips, Anna Louise " 

Preston, Mrs. Ida J Buffalo, N. Y, 

Potter, Mrs. M. Eugenie State Bridge, N. Y. 

Quackenbush, Mrs. A. Rosalie Oneida, N. Y. 

Quackenbush, Lewis G " 

Randall, Alonzo " 

Randall, Mrs. Gertrude B 

Randall, Gertrude Smith. . . " 

Randall, Mrs. Caroline " 

Rice, Mrs. Matilda B " 

Rice, Francis Adon " 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. %5 

Roberts, Mrs. Mary L Oneida, N. Y. 

Rockwell, Hiram L " 

Rockwell, Mrs. Esther A " 

Rockwell, Addie B " 

Root, John D " 

Root, Mrs. Lillie A 4i 

Royce, Mrs. Adeline " 

Ruby, Bernhard " 

Ruby, Mrs. Barbara 

Ruby, Richard B " 

Ruby, Mrs. Frances May 

Ruby, Geo. H " 

Ruby, Mrs. Kate 4i 

Ruby, Elizabeth Florence \ 4 

Ruby, Isabel Hager " 

Roberts, Mrs. Margaret Wilber 

Roberts, Mrs. May Elizabeth Ilion, N. Y. 

Ranous, John Phelps, N. Y. 

Ranous, Mrs. Elizabeth " 

Rogers, Mrs. Rhoda Oneida, N. Y. 

Reed, Henrietta " 

Reidy, Thomas Francis " 

Rector, Mrs. Elizabeth 

Rector, Jane Augusta " 

Seeley, Mrs. Eleanor " • 

Shepard, Julia A " 

Smith, Chas. E Syracuse, N. Y. 

Smith, Mrs. Jennette Oneida, N. Y. 

Smith, Adam " 

Smith, Julius J " 

Smith, Mrs. Harriet J " 

Smith, Earnest Reveley " " 

Smith, Mrs. Julia E " 

Smith, EdnaL " 

Snook, Mrs. Isabella Merrillsville, N. Y. 

Sperry, Walter D Oneida, N. Y. 

Sperry, Mrs. Julia A " 

Stebbins, Mrs. Fannie " " 



86 



SEMI-CENTENNIAL OF THE 



Stevans, Mrs. Mary Josephine Oneida, N. Y. 

Stewart, Mrs. Elizabeth 

Stewart, Ella G 

Stewart, Robert D 

Stewart, Charlotte J 

Stewart, Jennette G 

Stone, E. J 

Stone, Mrs. Mary E 

Stone, Mrs. Adelaide L 

Stone, Laura Adelaide 

Stiles, Bradford 

Stiles, Mrs. Susan A 

Stillman, Mrs. Jane E 

Schubert, Mrs. M 

Schubert, Geo 

Schubert, Mrs. Mabel W 

Schubert, Eugene W Denver, Col. 

Schubert, Arthur F .Oneida, N. Y. 

Schubert, August 

Schubert, Mrs. Jessie Winona " 

Snyder, Mrs. Mary A Syracuse, N. Y. 

Stark, Mrs. Catherine Oneida, N. Y. 

Stark, Henry S Higginsville, N. Y. 

Spiess, Jacob Oneida, N. 

Spiess, Mrs. Mary 

Sargeant, Cora May 

Sargeant, Mary Pearl 

Salmon, Marietta 

Stocking, Mrs. L. Parmelia 

Sturdevant, Oliver W 

Sturdevant, Mrs. Elizabeth 

Selkregg, Mrs. Fannie 

Selkregg, Edna Farnam 

Smith, Mrs. Kittie C 

Siver, Mrs. Marion Elizabeth Durhamville, N. Y. 

Tillotson, Mrs. Elizabeth Oneida, N. 

Tillotson Nina Elizabeth " 

Todd, Floyd Rogers. ,....,.,,,,'., f ,.,,,.,. . Syracuse, N. Y. 



<< << 

(i t < 



ONEIDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 87 

Timmerman, Geo. A Oneida, N. Y. 

Timmerman, Mrs. Cornelia " " 

Timmerman, Augustus R Denver, Col. 

Turner, Edith Oneida, N. Y. 

Tuttle, Mrs. Nellie D " 

Tuttle, Anna Dyer 

Tuttle, Mrs. Jessie S 

Teale, Mrs. B. Seymour 

Torrey, Mrs. Elizabeth 

Taylor, Mrs. Nellie M Adams, N. Y. 

Trowbridge, Mrs. Clara E. .' Oneida, N. Y. 

Trenham, Herbert C " * ' 

Trenham, Mrs. Statira " 

Upson, Miles M 

Upson, Mrs. Lucinda " 

Van Brocklin, Caroline " 

Vedder, Mrs. Maggie C Merrillsville, N. Y. 

Van Allen, Mrs. Ida W Chicago, 111. 

Van Buskirk, Mrs. Emma Oneida, N. Y. 

Van Allen, Mrs. Ellen " 

Waterman, Mrs. Maggie A " " 

Waterman, Flora A " ' ' 

Walrath, Mrs. Maria N " 

Walrath,, Mrs. Nancy " 

Walrath, Cora Lillian " 

Warr, Mrs. Catherine E " 

Warr, Frances Louise ' ' 

Westcott, Mrs. Helen M Pittston, Pa. 

White, Z. Frederick Oneida, N. Y. 

White, Mrs. Emma T " 

White, Mrs. Martha H " 

White, Alvin J " 

Whitnall Mrs. Louise F Onondaga Valley, N. Y. 

Wiles, Mrs. Charlotte Oneida, N, Y. 

Williams, Charles Jerome Rome, N. Y. 

Winnie, Jacob Oneida, N. Y. 



88 



SEMI- CENTENNIAL. 



Winnie, Mrs. Sarah M Oneida, N. Y. 

Winnie, Chas. H 

Woglum, Mrs. Ella Godfrey 

Winchell, Mrs. Emma J 

Woodbury, Mrs. Neva E 

Whitman, Florence M 

Wells, Hattie 

Warner, Mrs. Kittie R Brooklyn, N. 

Winn, Mrs. Cora Oneida, N. Y. 

Woodworth, Mrs. Lillian May Chicopee, Mass. 

Wilbar, Mrs. May East Orange, N. J. 



Youker, Bertha P St. Johnsville, N. Y. 

Youker, Lizzie Agnes " 

Youker, May Lillian " 

Yoost, Mrs. Susan I Oneida, N. Y. 



Zeihr, Susie H. . 
Zeihr, Matilda L, 



